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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Source: Tanzania Daily News
ALMOST 20 per cent of women in child bearing ages in the country are at risk of having problems with their fallopian tubes due to increased abortion.
Source: Punch
The Niger Government on Thursday distributed 55, 000 breast cancer testing kits to 25 local Government Areas in the state to stem the spread of breast cancer.
Source: Cajnewsagency
Abuja — DELTA State government has commissioned a 100-bed maternal and childcare centre at the Warri Central Hospital.
The State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan said the free maternal and child care schemes were borne out of the high premium government placed on the health of women and children.
Source: Tanzania Daily News
THE government on Wednesday launched the cervical cancer community awareness and screening initiative with a call to women to have a tendency of checking their status on the deadly disease frequently.
Source: 24 TANZANIA
THE growing number of cervical cancer cases has prompted the government to introduce the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine as a future preventive measure for the killer disease.
Source: The Standard
It requires concerted efforts on many fronts with government, civic society and community leaders all pulling together.
In 2011, all these fronts converged in Harare for the second national Aids conference, which ran under the theme Eliminate New HIV Infections in Children, Keep Mothers Alive.
Source: South African Government News Agency
In celebration of the Reproductive Health Month, Gauteng Department of Health has encouraged pregnant women to know their health status and that of their children.
"The drive to encourage our people to know their health status will not only assist the department in its goal to reduce infant, child and maternal deaths but will also ensure that the mothers and their babies live a long and healthy life," said Gauteng Health MEC, Hope Papo.
Source: KC Team
As a single mother of seven, Ajeng*, 35, was forced into sex work to support her children when she could find no other job.
In 2006, Ajeng discovered she was living with HIV and as a result her marriage broke down.
Source: Daily Trust
Kaduna — One woman dies of cervical cancer in every two minutes worldwide while about 9,659 die of the disease every year in Nigeria, the Managing Director, Society for Family Health (SFH) Sir Bright Ekweremadu said in Kaduna yesterday.
Source: World Health Organization
Mrs Souad is 30 years old, married with 2 children, and heavily pregnant with her third. She lives in a rural village 10 km from the health facility where she is to deliver her baby, and the journey to get there takes about 45 minutes.
Source: Business Ghana
Women and adolescents from Tarkwa Nsueam in the Western Region have undergone a two-day training to empower them on their sexual and reproductive rights.