Maternal and Child Health. A past of five centuries. The gift of exemplary service

Report of the history and present of the intervention of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa in the area of ​​maternal and child health, narrative in journalistic register. The authors propose to the readers a challenging journey made in two times. At first, in the part entitled “Tradição de lap”, we follow the trail of the full path taken in national maternal and child care, a path as long as that of the secular institution in Lisbon. From the 15th century to the present day, from the old circle of those exposed to the Maternal House or from the Dispensaries to the modern Health Units, there is much to know about the history of maternity and childhood care in the last five centuries. From the past to the present, the second part, entitled “Por Dentro do Amor”, portrays the daily life of the W Jovem Health Unit, a Misericórdia de Lisboa service dedicated to working with disadvantaged adolescents. Here, the “CresSer” project is particularly relevant, a program to support young mothers at risk. These are life stories to which Santa Casa made possible a happy ending. This publication inaugurates the collection “Cadernos Solidários SCML”, an editorial series that presents the work developed by Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa in its different areas of intervention.

Author: Ana Gomes and Dora Santos
Collection: Solidarity Notebooks

Year of publication: 2008
Editor: SCML
ISBN: 9789728761295