WaterAid shines a light on maternal hygiene

WaterAid has highlighted the plight of pregnant mothers forced to give birth at facilities without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene with a light installation at one of Britain’s first maternity hospitals.

The installation at London’s General Lying-In Hospital, part of WaterAid’s Water Means Life appeal, is a reminder of the global health emergency faced by women and babies, and the risks they face from life-threatening infections.

More than one million deaths each year are associated with unclean births, while infections account for 26% of neonatal deaths and 11% of maternal mortality.

Photograph by Oliver Dixon