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: UNFPA
SELOKOLELA, Botswana/UNITED NATIONS, New York – “Menstruation is still considered a secret that is hardly discussed,” Ogaufi Moisakamo, in Botswana, told UNFPA. “When I got my first period, I was also ashamed of informing my mother. And when I finally told her, she only warned me against playing with boys as it would ‘get me pregnant’.”
SOURCE: Concord
The United Nations children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that menstrual health and hygiene management is still out of reach, particularly among the poorest, ethnic groups, refugees, and people with disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa.
SOURCE: VOA
Cameroon observed World Menstrual Hygiene Day Saturday with donors and health workers distributing reusable sanitary pads to several hundred poor girls displaced by terrorism and the country’s separatist crisis. Some of the girls said they were seeing sanitary pads for the first time. Also, sensitization teams are working to convince communities to stop stigmatizing girls during menstruation.
SOURCE: CONCORD TIMES
It took a little over two years after she sat for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) in 2018 for the life of 22-year-old Sarah Bangura to change - even forcing her to seek comfort at the country's psychiatric hospital - due to the effects of obstetric fistula, a condition in which a hole develops in the birth canal caused by prolonged, obstructed labour.
SOURCE: Spotlight Initiative
After four months of hard work, Sally Njie and Praise Gimba are proud to release their new song. ‘Cut No More’ delivers a catchy melody but it also shares an important message: warning about the risks of female genital mutilation (FGM). Even more impressive? It does this in three different languages – Wolof, Mandinka and English.
SOURCE: Times of Zambia
A RETIRED midwife on the Copperbelt has expressed concern over the alleged mushrooming of private surgery clinics that are offering unsafe abortions in various townships.
Source: Le 360 Afrique
En Mauritanie, le taux de déperdition scolaire entre le primaire et le secondaire est estimé à 45%. Chez les filles, ce phénomène est dû en partie aux menstruations. L’ONG Initiative Développement et l’UNICEF veulent y remédier par la fabrication et la distribution de kits d’hygiène.
SOURCE: Africa Renewal
One of the volunteers, Rose Mukhaye, reminded Delourice to regularly attend the antenatal clinics at the local Esiriambatsi Health Centre as soon as she found out she was pregnant.
Source: DW
Interview avec Diene Keïta, directrice exécutive adjointe de l’agence des Nations Unies pour la santé sexuelle et reproductive, sur les grossesses non-intentionnelles.
SOURCE: The Exchange
‘M-mama’ service will now be scaled up from one Tanzanian region to cover more than 50% of the national population across 15 regions.
SOURCE: NigeriaHealthWatch
Yar Gaya Primary Health Centre (PHC) is a health facility in Yar Gaya community in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano State. Established 42 years ago, the PHC is plagued by so many challenges that it now only provides skeletal services, leaving community members with no option but to travel long distances in search of suitable alternatives.