MATERNAL deaths recorded at government health centres have been rising steadily since 2012, according to latest statistics from the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (Zimstats).
STAFF REPORTER
According to Zimstats, 350 women died in the first quarter of this year at government health institutions compared to 199 during the same period in 2013.
In 2012, a total of 277 women died of pregnancy-related deaths during the first quarter of that year, according to quoted statistics from the Health and Child Care ministry.
A total of 872 and 1 121 pregnant women died in 2012 and 2013 respectively due to pregnancy-related complications.
Parliamentarians have expressed concern over the number of women dying every year because of pregnancy-related issues.
About 10 women die every day of pregnancy-related complications in Zimbabwe, and this is said to be three times higher than the global average, according to the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey (ZDHS) of 2013.
The ZDHS noted that infant mortality was now 57 deaths per 1 000 live births and Under-5s mortality is 84 deaths per 1 000 live births, meaning one in 12 children die before their fifth birthday.
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The study showed that the leading direct causes of maternal deaths are pregnancy-induced hypertension or eclampsia, postpartum haemorrhage, puerperal sepsis, malaria and obstructed labour.
The deaths are more prevalent in rural areas where trained maternal healthcare professionals like midwives are lacking.
A 2011 state of world midwifery study showed that about 3,6 million deaths could be avoided in developing countries if more midwives were trained.
Recently, Goromonzi West MP Biata Nyamupinga called for the scrapping of maternal user fees and an end to the detention of mothers who failed to pay maternal user fees.
