By Zenak Matekenya
Salima, April 16, MANA: Maternal Health Expert, Anne Phoya, says lack of quality care, pre-eclampsia, and anaemia are major maternal death risks in Malawi which need to be addressed.
She made the remarks Tuesday in Salima at the Amref’s two-day Co-Creation Workshop for Sustainable Uptake of Product for Pre-eclampsia and Martenal Anemia (SUPREME) project to be rolled out in Lilongwe, Mzimba North and Balaka districts.
Phoya said 92 percent of women in Malawi deliver in health facilities, where if access to quality care was improved could lead to a decline in maternal mortality.
“We must focus on the leading causes of maternal death, pregnancy-induced hypertension, known as pre-eclampsia, which accounts for 13 percent of maternal deaths, as well as hemorrhage and infection. These require quality interventions,” she said.
Phoya said while Malawi 2063 targets reducing maternal deaths from about 224 to 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030, the death of a single mother remains a painful tragedy.
Amref Health Africa Malawi Country Director, Hester Mkwinda Nyasulu, said it is critical for key stakeholders to keep working together to overcome maternal health challenges.
He said the engagement aimed to build shared understanding of maternal deaths among stakeholders to align internal priorities and strengthen collaboration and communication.
“Our discussion today includes causes of maternal death, needed products, how communities and facilities respond, and how to streamline referrals to prevent delays,” he said.
Presidential Advisor on Safe Motherhood, Maria Mainja, said safe motherhood goes beyond preventing death.
She said stakeholders are responsible to ensure that every woman is supported, respected and has the opportunity to experience child birth safely.
“Let us continue working together through systems, communities, technology and men’s active involvement, to ensure that this becomes a reality for all women in Malawi,” she said.
Unitaid Technical Manager, Dale Halliday, said the SUPREME project seeks to address pre-eclampsia and maternal anemia by ensuring availability of products and services to women who need them.
The workshop was attended by government representatives, development partners, implementing agencies and other stakeholders.
