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.
For more information on HIV/AIDS and Reproductive health, please visit the following websites:
Source: News Deeply
Margaret Atieno was just 15 when a university student noticed her and began to ask her out on dates. He was an acquaintance from Raila, their neighborhood in Nairobi’s sprawling Kibera slum. At first, Atieno found him charming.
The government has adopted the national strategic plan to reduce maternal deaths from 432 to 292 in 100,000 live births by 2020. Under the national strategic plan on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, 100 theatre rooms will be built in different health centres in the country for emergency services.
Efforts at eradicating the female genital mutilation, FGM, in Osun received a boost on Tuesday as 12 communities across four local governments declared their intentions to completely stop the practice.
Members of various religious groups in Malawi held street protests Tuesday against a proposed law that would expand women’s ability to terminate a pregnancy.
Source: allAfrica
Victoria — A new hospital offering specialized care for women and children will open in February, the Seychelles health authorities announced on Tuesday.
Source: CNN
The number of new HIV infections 'is not declining' and young women the world over are still at risk.
Experts in healthcare and Information Communication Technology have called upon innovators to create solutions that improve access, planning, availability and quality of sexual and reproductive health information and services.
Source: allAfrica
Experts will discuss issues ranging from research to policy into action toward ending unsafe abortion in Africa
On a chilly Wednesday morning, walking into the quiet spacious Resilience Innovation Lab (RILab) on the first floor of Resilient Africa Network (RAN) above Kololo Airstrip, one gets the feeling that they are intruding on great minds thinking up innovations that will propel us into middle income status.
The United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF) at the weekend revealed that over 0.4 to 0.8million women suffer from obstetric fistula (OF) in Nigeria, ranking the country as highest prevalence of Obstetric Fistula in the world.
Anatolie Uzayisenga, a teacher at Bisate Primary School in Kinigi Sector, Musanze District, gave birth to a baby boy one year ago. Six weeks after delivery she had a tough choice to make; forego 80 per cent of her pay and stay with her newborn baby or return to work.