Copperbelt Province records 88 maternal deaths in 4 months

THECopperbelt Province has recorded 88 maternal deaths in the last four months, Provincial Permanent Secretary, Augustine Kasongo, has disclosed.

Mr. Kasongo said this translates into a ratio of 128 per 100,000 live births hence the need to work extra hard to reduce this mor- tality ratio to less than 100 per 100,000 live births.

He said the government was working on interventions to en- sure that the country trains, deploys and retains midwifery pro- fessionals to avert maternal deaths.

“The government believes that failure to invest in midwifery implies failure to address maternal and neonatal mortality,” he said.

Mr. Kasongo said the available global data indicates that a well-supported midwifery and family planning interventions can avert a total of 83 percent of all maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths.

the challenges in the health service delivery hence it is employing over 11,000 health workers in the country.

He added that the government is also committed to ensuring that human rights in childbirth are respected to enable women to have access to maternal health.

Mr. Kasongo said this when he officiated at the Copperbelt

Luanshya.

The day was celebrated under the theme “100 years of prog- ress”.

And Midwifery Association of Zambia Copperbelt Acting Chairperson, Major Mweemba, challenged midwives to take a lead in reducing maternal and neonatal deaths.

Mr. Mweemba observed that the statistic of 88 maternal deaths recorded in the province in the last four months was un- acceptably high.

“That is too many as birthing is not an illness, not one woman should die during childbirth hence the need for midwives to take centre stage in this fight,” he said.

He further implored the government to increase the number of midwives in the recruitment of health workers to address the current deficit and avert maternal deaths.

He added that the deficit has compromised the quality of care and service delivery in maternal health.

Zambia joined the rest of the world in commemorating the in- ternational midwifery day. - ZANIS