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: UN News Centre
Nearly 800 women continue to die every day from complications of pregnancy and childbirth, the United Nations spotlighted as it marked the International Day of the Midwife with a call for greater investment to increase the number of midwives and enhance the quality and reach of their services.
Source: New Vision
Organizations of women living with HIV and women's rights organizations in Uganda are not adequately accessing funding although billions of Ugandan shillings were spent on HIV and Aids in previous years.
Source: Swazi Observer
This week the Swaziland media contained several articles about the damage caused by relatives of gender-based violence victims who do not report the crimes for fear of 'airing dirty family laundry' in public (tibi tendlu or 'house rubbish.')
Source: VOA
Cameroonian-born Professor Rose Gana Fomban Leke, winner of the 2011 Kwame Nkrumah Award for the best female scientist in Africa, is being celebrated in Cameroon for advancing research on malaria.
Source: AllAfrica
Zimbabwe's Ministry of Health is currently gathering evidence on acceptance of a new Cupid Female Condom before rolling it out.
Source: Al Jazeera
Nokwanda Dlamini* was 14 when she tested positive for HIV.
Source: NextCity
The first informal healthcare worker, a woman who goes by Monica, hangs up when I tell her I’m a journalist. I phone another provider, Drec, twice; he hangs up the first time. “You are trying to make a business out of putting other people into trouble,” he says the second time, his voice trembling slightly, and then he, too, puts the phone down for good.
Source: Tanzania Daily News
PARENTS and guardians in Moshi municipality have been urged to allow their children to undergo vaccination against cervical cancer.
Source: Reuters
Broadening access to contraceptives in Africa's arid Sahel region and improving women's sexual health are key parts of a $200 million World Bank project in the conservative Muslim region, its coordinator said.
Source: Times of Zambia
THREE months after delivering a baby girl, Tina Mwale became pregnant again because of contraceptive failure and was not ready to care for another baby soon.