Road map for Accelerating the Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals Relating to Maternal and Newborn Health in Africa
Voir/ Ouvrir
Résumé
1. Maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality ratios have remained serious public healthchallenges in the African Region for many decades. Despite the fact that Member States haveadopted various human rights treaties and conventions related to the improvement of maternaland newborn health, the translation of these commitments into practice remains largely elusive.The persistently high maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality rates constitute a silentemergency that calls for urgent attention. The death of a woman during pregnancy or childbirthis a matter of social injustice.2. The maternal mortality ratio in the African Region is the highest in the world, estimatedat an average of 1 000 deaths per 100 000 live births. Combined with the law contraceptiveprevalence rate of 13% and the high total fertility rate of 5.5 children per woman, this increasesthe lifetime risk of maternal death. In many countries, between 25% and 33% of all deaths ofwomen of reproductive age is the result of a complication of pregnancy or childbirth. For everymaternal death, there are at least thirty women who suffer short- or long-term disabilities.13. Early sexual activity and marriage are very common in Africa and contributesignificantly to maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality. Approximately 13% of allmaternal deaths occur among adolescents, mainly as a result of complications of unsafe abortion.The majority of the disabilities, especially obstetric fistulas, are also most prevalent in theadolescent age group.2Citation
Regional Committee for Africa, 54. (2004). Road map for Accelerating the Attainment of the Millennium Development Goals Relating to Maternal and Newborn Health in Africa. World Health Organization. Regional Office for Africa. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/93125