‘1 in 5 women dies during childbirth’

via ‘1 in 5 women dies during childbirth’ – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 9, 2016

GOVERNMENT has expressed concern over rising maternal deaths recorded in various parts of the country, with latest statistics indicating that at least one woman dies during childbirth every day.

BY Phyllis Mbanje

According to the Health and Child Care ministry’s weekly report for the week ending January 24, five women died due to various complications while giving birth, bringing the cumulative figure to 24 since the beginning of the year.

Harare Central Hospital had two deaths, while Parirenyatwa, Tsholotsho and Mutasa hospitals recorded a single death each.

Maternal mortality in Zimbabwe, currently at 525 deaths per 100 000 live births, is still considered too high.

In an interview recently, the director of family health in the Health and Child Care ministry, Bernard Madzima, said it was important that women gave birth in health facilities and attended antenatal care.

Commenting on conservative apostolic sects that shied away from health facilities, Madzima said the government was making concerted efforts to rope them in through dialogue.

“We continue to engage religious leaders in programmes such as immunisation of children and having pregnant women delivering in hospital,” he said.