The Department of Obstetric and Gynecological Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing, MAHE, Manipal observed National Safe Motherhood Day 2024 on April 11, 2024. As part of this day, various activities and programs were conducted, which included a safe motherhood awareness session, a college competition, a competition on concept writing, and reflective writing.

An awareness session on “Safe Motherhood " was organized on March 28, 2024 between 11.30 am and 12.30 pm for VI semester BSc Nursing students. The I year MSc Nursing students of Manipal College of Nursing, MAHE, Manipal - Mr Pema Wangchuk and Mrs Crensha Shajin deliberated a session, where they focused on the importance of proper health care and maternity services for expecting mothers. Around 97 participants participated in and benefited from this program.

A college competition on ‘Safe Motherhood’ was held on April 4, 2024. A total of 21 participants, grouped into seven teams, participated in the competition. The team of Ms Glanish Jennevia Aranha, Ms. Heeba Naaz and Mr. Nagesh won first place, whereas Mr. Jeffrey Sebastian Barboza, Mr. Pratheek and Mr. Swagath’s team won second place. Ms. Flosita Glavin Lobo, Ms.Viona Alisha Almeida and Ms. Rasmitha R Poojary’s team won third place.

A concept writing competition on ‘Promoting healthy pregnancy practices for safe motherhood’ was conducted for the antenatal women visiting the antenatal outpatient departments/wards of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, on April 11, 2024. The antenatal women were asked to write down all the promotional health pregnancy practices of which they were aware and that they had come to know during their interactions with the health care professionals during their registered antenatal care visits. Mrs. Ashvitha secured the prize among the five antenatal women who participated enthusiastically in the competition.

Reflective writing on the theme ‘Celebrating Motherhood’ was conducted for all the postnatal women who were admitted to the postnatal wards of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal, on April 11, 2024. A total of 15 women participated in the reflective writing competition and were asked to express their feelings and experiences regarding their motherhood and their becoming a new mother. They were also asked to voice their feelings towards achieving healthy motherhood and how the healthcare professionals made a difference in their lives to achieve successful and happy motherhood. Among the 15 women who actively participated in the competition, Mrs. Cynthia Terence, Mrs. Surekha and Mrs. Saraswathi, all postnatal mothers who were in their first postnatal week, and admitted to the postnatal wards of Kasturba Hospital, secured the prizes. Mrs. Ranjani P Assistant Professor, Dept. of OBG (N) MCON, MAHE Manipal coordinated the program.

The activities of the National Safe Motherhood Day contributed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing and SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals.