350 women die out of child birth in Zabzugu/Tatale District

Zabzugu (N/R), July 20, GNA - For the first quarter of this year the Zabzugu/Tatale District recorded 350 maternal mortality deaths out of 100,000 deliveries. Last year the district recorded 260 deaths out of 100,000 deliveries.

Mr. Emmanuel Maaweh, the District Director of Health, said this at the "launch of free mosquito nets for delivery in health facilities in the district" at Zabzugu at the week end. The programme which was on the theme: "Deliver in the hospital and get a free net for mother and child campaign" was to promote delivery by pregnant women in the hospital to reduce high maternal and infant deaths in the district.

He said last year out of 100,000 live births recorded, 31 died due to complications arising from delays arriving at the hospital and failure to come to the hospital for delivery. Mr. Maaweh said there was also a rising trend in infant death in the district and that out of 100,000 infants born this year 50 had died due to poor management and other complications. He said to reduce the unnecessary deaths the government, with support from its development partners such as UNICEF and DANIDA, had donated 16,000 insecticide treated mosquito nets for distribution free of charge to motivate pregnant women to attend health facilities for delivery.

He appealed to pregnant women, husbands, assembly members and opinion leaders to take advantage of the package and encourage all pregnant women to attend health facilities during delivery. Mr. Maaweh said the major problem facing the Zabzugu/Tatale District Hospital was accommodation for health personnel and because of the problem out of eight midwives posted to the district only two had reported for duty. Mr. Umar Abdul-Wahab, the District Chief Executive, appealed to health providers, the Information Service Department, the National Commission for Civic Education and assembly members to educate pregnant women on the importance to attend antenatal care. He called on the chiefs and opinion leaders in the community to give health workers cooperation and support to enable them work effectively.