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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Three years ago, the African Union began a continent-wide campaign to reduce the number of women who die when pregnant or giving birth.
Source: IPS
Three years ago, the African Union began a continent-wide campaign to reduce the number of women who die when pregnant or giving birth.
Source: Science and Development Network
We need to revive the rights-based agenda and realign research priorities for women's health, says Priya Shetty.
Source: Voice of America
"We have the power." That was the war cry of about 300 women meeting in the Zimbabwean capital after President Robert Mugabe officially opened the GlobalPower Women Network Africa conference.
Source: Voice of America
Globally, the number of maternal deaths has been cut in half since 1990. But, in Nigeria 40,000 women die each year because of pregnancy complications. Aid organizations say poverty, isolation and dangerous traditions are the heart of the problem while some mothers say there are simply no doctors at the hospital.
Source: The New Times
The wider use of contraceptive methods within the East Africa region is still undermined by underlying cultural beliefs that glorify large families, health officials said during the 5th Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) summit.
Source: 7th Space
South Africa's maternal mortality rate (625 deaths/100,000 live births) is high for amiddle-income country, although over 90% of pregnant women utilize maternal healthservices. Alongside HIV/AIDS, barriers to Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Carecurrently impede the country's Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) of reducing childmortality and improving maternal health.
Source:Daily News
Saving the lives of both mothers and their infants during childbirth is one of the most challenging problems facing many countries in Africa. In Zanzibar out of every 100,000 live births, 378 women die in labour or in complications related to childbirth.
Source: AllAfrica
The fifth coordination meeting of the Eastern Africa Reproductive Health Network (EARHN) started on Monday with the theme "Repositioning family planning and reproductive health in Eastern Africa."
Source: The New York Times
The number of women dying from pregnancy and childbirth has dropped sharply in the last two decades, according to a report by a consortium of United Nations agencies set to be released on Wednesday.
Source: People & the Planet
The number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth worldwide has been cut almost in half in the past 20 years, but much more remains to be done, according to a study released today by several United Nations agencies.