06 Sep 2020

Ministry of Health and Wellness aims to have reduced the maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100 000 live births by 2030 as per the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) target of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Speaking during a media conference in Gaborone recently, Ministry of Health and Wellness family planning coordinator, Ms Sifelani Malima, said maternal health was of paramount importance to the country.

She said as department their objective was ensure safe health care of a family.

“Holistically favourable maternal health depends on various programmes such as maternal and new born care, family planning and male involvement in sexual and reproductive health issues,” she explained.

Moreover, she said during the lockdown, access to family planning services had decreased which could result in unplanned and unwanted pregnancies which might in turn lead to unsafe abortions.

Citing the statistics of maternal deaths during the year, she said the ministry of health recorded 55 cases. 

Ms Malima said the leading cause of maternal deaths in the country was postpartum bleeding, hypertensive diseases in pregnancy and septic abortions.

“At national level however, the ministry has devised strategic policies and developmental guidelines to assist healthcare workers on how to manage and deal with maternal health. Various researches have been conducted to identify the gaps that lead to maternal deaths and how these gaps can be closed.

Moreover each maternity facility has an audit committee which investigates in depth on maternal negligence and death related issues and the rectification of such causes,” Ms Malima said. ends