The maternal mortality ratio is unacceptably high in Africa. Forty per cent of all pregnancy-related deaths worldwide occur in Africa. On average, over 7 women die per 1,000 live births. About 22,000 African women die each year from unsafe abortion, reflecting a high unmet need for contraception. Contraceptive use among women in union varies from 50 per cent in the southern sub-region to less than 10 per cent in middle and western Africa" UNFPA
Early and unwanted childbearing, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and pregnancy-related illnesses and deaths account for a significant proportion of the burden of illness experienced by women in Africa. Gender-based violence is an influential factor negatively impacting on the sexual and reproductive health of one in every three women. Many are unable to control decisions to have sex or to negotiate safer sexual practices, placing them at great risk of disease and health complications.
According to UNAIDS, there is an estimated of 22.2 million people living with HIV in Sub-Saharan African in 2009, which represents 68% of the global HIV burden. Women are at higher risk than men to be infected by HIV, their vulnerability remains particulary high in the Sub-Saharan Africa and 76% of all HIV women in the world live in this region.
In almost all countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, the majority of people living with HIV are women, especially girls and women aged between 15-24. Not only are women more likely to become infected, they are more severely affected. Their income is likely to fall if an adult man loses his job and dies. Since formal support to women are very limited, they may have to give up some income-genrating activities or sacrifice school to take care of the sick relatives.
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Source: The New Times
Two months ago, doctors knew that Delice Mukamurerwa’s first birth would be complicated. Thanks to their efforts, today, she nurtures a two-month old son, whom she delivered after undergoing a caesarean section at Kibagabaga hospital in Kigali.
Source: All Africa
A report published by Save the Children says sub-Saharan Africa has reduced deaths among children in the first month of life by a negligible 1.5 percent from 2000 to 2010, a small improvement on the 0.6% reduction between 1990 and 2000. The region has made the least progress worldwide in cutting deaths among newborns.The authors of the report say that unless improvements are accelerated, it will be more than 150 years before African babies have the same chance of survival as those born in the United States and Europe.
Source: Global Times
South Africa on Monday called on the international community to double its efforts to promote the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, saying "no single country can be successful in the fight" against the epidemic.
Source: The Observer
Despite global progress to achieve Millennium Development Goal Number 5, which calls for a 75% reduction in maternal mortality ratio by 2015, statistics points to a struggle.
Source: Health-e
The lack of proper sanitation, poor access to health services, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS are all contributing factors to early childhood deaths. Maternal deaths are also increasing, mainly due to HIV infection. This is according to studies done by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Source: NBF News
The statistics of the state of the Nigerian women and adolescent girls are appalling. Significantly, they are worrisome all over the country, North, South, East or West. Women everywhere in Nigeria have worse life chances than men.
Source: The New Times
Parliament has been tasked with the harmonisation of the Abortion Act with Article 14 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa commonly known as the Maputo Protocol.
Source: GhanaWeb
The Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), a non-governmental organization committed to sexual and reproductive health activities, is collaborating with the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) to provide quality health care for the people of the Kwahu East District.
The project is being implemented in partnership with the District Health Administration and the District Assembly.
Malawi's new president, Joyce Banda, has inherited an unenviable to-do list from former president Bingu wa Mutharika, and AIDS activists are hoping that bolstering the donor-dependent AIDS response will be one of her most urgent priorities.
Source: Xperedon
A number of non-profit orgs and their partners are revealing evidence that the battle against Aids/HIV is starting to be won on several fronts...
Source: The Swazi Observer
Swaziland is among 11 countries that have failed to make any progress in the past years towards meeting one of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).