The Situational Room presented today the achievements obtained from the implementation of the legislation one year after its entry into force.
Since the implementation of the «Ley Nacer con Cariño» (Born with Love Law), maternal and child care indicators have seen significant improvements, which were highlighted by the Situational Room that verifies and evaluates the application of the law since its entry into force in February 2022 and recognized by representatives of different international organizations.
The Room is composed of the Office of the First Lady, the National Integrated Health System, and the United Nations System in El Salvador.
Among the results are the reduction of maternal deaths, an increase in different types of screenings, a reduction in adolescent pregnancies, and a decrease in the early neonatal mortality rate.
Preconceptional care was doubled: in 2021, there were 5,787 registrations, while in 2022 there were 11,588; there was a 130% increase in the registration of reproductive risk, from 6,779 in 2021 to 15,592 in 2022.
There was also a decrease in adolescent pregnancies, from 22.3% in 2021 to 19.9% in 2022; a decrease in the early neonatal mortality rate, from 4.34% to 3.84% in 2022; and an increase in families that used the kangaroo strategy, from 227 in 2021 to 412 in 2022.
«I believe that they are ready to present this case of success in all possible forums and spaces. We are pleased to be able to accompany and support them in this. For example, it should be presented at a World Health Organization (WHO) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Assembly because it can generate an exchange of experiences,» said the representative of PAHO in El Salvador, Giovanni Escalante.
According to the Office of the First Lady, an essential element to achieve these results has been the implementation of the National Prenatal Education Program, which allows families to prepare for childbirth and newborn care, as well as the coordinated work among all government institutions.
«Seeing the statistics that you present is really satisfying. The fact of being here together and giving us the space to show the evidence, statistics, and monitor them over time is a significant advance towards the achievement, consolidation, and success of these types of policies,» emphasized UNICEF representative, Hugo Rázuri.