By Natalia Rueda 
The municipality of Colomba Costa Cuca in Guatemala has taken a crucial step to improve maternal and infant care in the region – they have established a Casa de las Comadronas Health Post. This new initiative is the result of an agreement between the local authorities of Colomba and the departmental governor of Quetzaltenango.
The purpose of the Health Post is to provide a space for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care. It will also serve as a reference center for the training of traditional midwives from the Mayan cosmovision. It will facilitate coordination between health centers, health areas, and health posts, and other organizations that aim to improve maternal and child health in the region.
The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) sees midwives as a crucial component in the prevention of maternal and neonatal deaths. To support these efforts, MSPAS has created various training programs designed to provide midwives with the necessary knowledge to detect danger signs and signals in order to counteract emergency situations.
The establishment of the Health Post is a major step forward in the journey to reduce maternal and infant mortality in the department. It will create access to better services and care for pregnant women and ensure that the work of midwives is properly recognized within the health care system. It will hopefully go a long way in helping to make sure that mothers and children in the region have the health care they need and deserve.
With information from: Agencia Guatemalteca de noticias