Malawi's Maternal Mortality Report

by DICKSON KASHOTI

12 July 2007

Malawi Wednesday joined the international community in commemorating World Population Day with stunning revelation that maternal mortality rate in the country at 984 per 100,000 live births is the the third highest in the world.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative Esperance Fundira told the press Wednesday in Lilongwe that Malawi has one of the highest numbers of women who die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth in the world.

“Pregnancy related mortality and morbidity is a social injustice, a neglected tragedy and a health indicator with the largest discrepancy between developed and developing nations, and between the rich and the poor,” she said.

She said worldwide, every minute 110 women experience a complication in their pregnancy and in Malawi, only 57 percent of all deliveries take placewith assistance of trained attendants.

Fundira said in many cases, emergency obstetric care is not available or is inaccessible either due to distance or cost.

“Men can support women’s needs and choices in obtaining timely life-saving care during pregnancy and childbirth if they have the right information. Men’sinvolvement includes providing support, sharing rights and responsibilities in pregnancy and parenthood, and learning about family planning and other aspects of reproductive health,” she said.

Fundira said reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality was, therefore, a moral and human rights imperative as well as crucial international development, adding partnering with men was an important strategy for ending this social and moral injustice.

Speaking at the same press conference, Minister of Economic Planning and Development Ted Kalebe said loss of women’s lives has a direct effect on the family structure.

He said this also affects the society as a whole, as it is forced to cope with orphaned children.

“As we all know, children whose mothers die are more likely to suffer increased vulnerability to diseases and death. This tells us how important women are to sustain human and socio-economic development. Therefore, the death of a woman due to pregnancy and childbirth related causes is tantamount to social injustice,” he said.

Kalebe said although maternal mortality ratio has decreased from 1,120/100,000 live births in 2000 to 984/100,000 live births in 2004, many children still die because of pregnancy related causes.

He said this meant that about 6,000 women in Malawi die of complications in pregnancy and childbirth every year.

Kalebe said some of the causes of maternal deaths in Malawi could be avoided and cited lack of women empowerment for appropriate decision making related to their reproductive processes, including accessing and utilisation of health services.

“Low status of women in the societies and poverty, especially among women, adolescent girls and rural residents, are other factors,” he said.