Many women and children die from preventable causes

Ho, June 13, GNA - Statistics worldwide showed that millions of women, children and newborns die yearly from preventable causes because interventions that could save their lives were often not available. About 530,000 women die from pregnancy-related complications, with some 68,000 of those deaths resulting from unsafe abortions. These were contained in the March 2006 edition of Save the Children published by Population Reference Bureau of Washington. It said four million babies die within the first month of life, more than three million die as stillbirth and over 10 million die under the age of five while more than 60 million women deliver at home without skilled care.

The publication said nearly 99 per cent maternal, newborn and child deaths occurred in low and middle-income countries. It pointed out that maximum care could meet these challenges and improved the health and survival of women, newborns and children worldwide.

The publication therefore; suggested interventions such as tetanus toxoid immunization, skilled attendance at birth, access to emergency obstetric care, immediate and exclusive breastfeeding, drying and keeping the newborn warm and if needed, resuscitation, care of low birth weights infants and treatment of infection.

In addition, safe water and good sanitation, immunizations, management of diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria, appropriate feeding practices and access to care could significantly reduce child mortality. According to the publication, the World Bank had estimated that 74 per cent of maternal deaths could be averted when women had access to interventions that address complication of pregnancy and childbirth, especially emergency obstetric care.