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:The Namibian
SO common are these benign (non-cancerous) swellings that one in every four females who is of reproductive age has them (fibroids)in their uterus.
The uterus (womb) is an exclusive female structure which provides sanctuary to the unborn baby for nine months. The unoccupied uterus is located in the lower abdomen and is comprised of 3 main layers, the innermost of which provides anchorage to the growing infant.
SOURCE:Â KBC
The government has released 1.4 bilion shillings to support provision of free maternity services in public health centres across the country.
SOURCE:Sci Dev
Women are underrepresented in clinical trials of HIV treatments, although the virus affects men and women almost equally.
A systematic review published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes found that women made up about 19 per cent of patients taking part in clinical studies of antiretroviral treatments, 38 per cent of those involved in vaccine trials and 11 per cent of those in HIV cure studies. The analysis was based on 544 published studies available in the PubMed database, totalling 144,033 patients.
SOURCE: All Africa
The introduction of free deliveries at a hospital in Lesotho, the country with one of the highest maternal mortality rate in the world, drastically reduced maternal deaths during labour and delivery, making the intervention a cheap and highly effective public health measure, the international medical humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said on Tuesday.
The number of women giving birth in the Roma hospital increased by 45 per cent within a year after MSF offered to cover all their expenses. This shows that fees are a huge barrier in preventing women from seeking medical help for delivery in a country where up to 40 per cent of women give birth at home without the help of a skilled attendant.
Source: All Africa
Former lady of Namibia Penexupifo Pohamba has called on Namibians to regularly go for cancer screening.
Source: All Africa
"Midwives should be committed to provide quality service for pregnant mothers, create bright future for baby, mother and the family"
Source: All Africa
For about two decades Martha Akiteng, 56, a resident of Kalengo village, Ngora Sub County Ngora had battled a health complication that slowly drained her health and almost killed her before it was found to be cancer.
Source: All Africa
Fistula surgeon, Dr Suleiman Zakariya, says an increasing number of women are coming down with fistula - uncontrolled leaking of urine or faeces from the vagina - because of botched caesarean operations by incompetent surgeons.
Source: All Africa
Fountain of Hope Youth Organization (FOYO) will on October 31 host a conference at the Gaborone Technical College dubbed The Modern Woman Sexual Security.
Source: All Africa
Poor maternal health systems in developing countries usually results in the growth of maternal death. Maternal death refers to the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and the site of the pregnancy.
Source: All Africa
WOMEN continue to lose their lives while giving birth with latest statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care indicating that 251 have died so far this year.