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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Sourece:BDlive
"I WAS at death’s door.
Source: The South African Health News Service
One pill a day will soon help keep thousands of sex workers HIV-free as South Africa is expected to announce today that it will provide antiretrovirals to thousands HIV-negative sex workers in a bid to keep them HIV free.
SOURCE:Daily Trust
The Association for the Prevention of Infertility and Promotion of Reproductive Health and Rights (ASPIRE) has raised alarm over what it called high rate of infertility cases among Nigerian young couples.
Source: All Africa
Women and girls today, more than ever before, are using modern contraceptives to delay or avoid a pregnancy, says a report released on Thursday by Family Planning 2020 (FP2020).
Source: All Africa
As a result of this new study, there is a dire need for Federal Government to improve access to modern methods of contraceptives. The study carried out by Dr. Akinrinola Bankole, Prof. Isaac Adewole, our new Minister for Health, Rubina Hussain, Dr. Olutosin Awolude, Susheela Singh, Joshua Akinyemi and others, has shown that over 1.25million induced abortions were performed in Nigeria in 2012.
Source: All Africa
Pregnant women in Nairobi will no longer get free maternity services.
SOURCE:Â Daily Nation
In Ethiopia, where almost nine in 10 women give birth at home with little or no support, a mobile phone app is coming to the rescue.
The "Safe Delivery App", created by the Danish development organisation the Maternity Foundation, provides simplified instructions and animated films to deal with emergencies, be it haemorrhaging, birth complications, resuscitating newborns or infections.
SOURCE:The Conversation
Screening for both cervical and breast cancer can save lives. Although many women in northern Nigeria know this, there is still reluctance to undergo these important screenings.
There are a combination of reasons that explain this. These include the high cost of screening procedures, too few facilities, not enough female healthcare workers to conduct the screenings and a host of sociocultural reasons.
SOURCE:Â All Africa
Economic empowerment and a thriving positive engagement in community life for women affected by HIV and AIDS was the focus of a training sponsored by the Ecumenical HIV and AIDS Initiatives and Advocacy (EHAIA) of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Harare, Zimbabwe.
Source: All Africa
Many young people have limited access to sexual and reproductive health services, making it hard for them to access family planning and HIV services.
Source: All Africa
Acting Country Director of an international non-governmental organization, Ipas Nigeria, Ms. Hauwa Shekarau has called for a review of the restrictive abortion laws in the country.