NAIROBI, Kenya – A UN report states that a mother passes away from pregnancy-related causes every two hours, serving as a startling reminder of the difficulty in ensuring safe motherhood.
Even though maternal mortality has decreased, change is happening at a pitifully slow rate, shattering countless families with avoidable tragedies.
Will the lives of innumerable mothers and children still be in jeopardy, or can East Africa step up its efforts to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for maternity and child health?
Maternal and child health (MCH) is a crucial indicator of a nation’s overall health. The SDGs prioritise MCH to reduce the maternity and under-five mortality rates. Despite the advancements in MCH in East Africa, significant challenges remain.
What we know about East Africa’s maternal and child health metrics
East Africa’s maternal and child health metrics present a conflicting picture. The current maternal mortality ratios (MMRs) are 442 deaths for every 100,000 live births; however, Rwanda (210) and Kenya (530) are seeing increases in these rates. Somalia (1,400) and South Sudan (1,223) lag further behind.
The under-five mortality rate (U5MR), which is 81 deaths per 1,000 live births, is declining in Tanzania and Ethiopia (between 100 and 499), among other nations. There is a significant disparity in infant mortality rates (IMR), which range from 74 in Somalia to 38 in Rwanda.
Even if some countries are approaching the SDG targets, there are still significant differences in others. The region’s uneven progress towards SDGs 3.1 (MMR < 70) and 3.2 (U5MR < 25) emphasises the need for targeted interventions and heightened efforts to achieve these goals.
Maternal and child health (MCH) advancement in East Africa is hampered by a number of factors.
Limited access to healthcare, particularly in rural areas, exacerbates inadequate health outcomes. Among women who are poor and uneducated, health disparities are particularly ingrained. Additionally, the region is severely lacking in skilled healthcare providers; in some nations, there is only one doctor for every 10,000 inhabitants.
Why Rwanda’s MCH treatments are more accessible
The provision of high-quality MCH services is further hampered by inadequate funding, subpar health systems, and inadequate infrastructure.
These barriers directly contribute to the challenges in accomplishing SDGs 3.1 and 3.2, highlighting the need for targeted efforts to remove them.
There have also been some significant victories amid difficulties.
Because of Rwanda’s community-based health insurance program, which has also made MCH treatments more accessible, maternal mortality has dropped by 75%. While community-based care has improved health outcomes in Ethiopia through the Health Extension Program, task sharing has increased the number of skilled birth attendants in Kenya. Tanzania made innovative use of mobile health technologies to enhance the delivery of MCH services.
Why should East African medical professionals work together
These success stories demonstrate how excellent practices and creative thinking can improve MCH in East Africa. By scaling up and replicating current models, the area can guarantee better health outcomes for mothers and children while simultaneously accelerating progress towards the SDG targets.
To reach the SDG targets, East Africa must keep funding maternal and child health (MCH). To fill in the apparent gaps, it is imperative to overcome the challenges and barriers already outlined. Coordination and collaboration among governments, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders are necessary to ensure effective resource allocation, service delivery, and policy implementation.
By working together, East Africa can improve MCH outcomes, fortify its health systems, and hasten the region’s advancement towards the SDG objectives. To achieve these SDGs, consistent work and funding are needed. Cooperation and teamwork are required to overcome the MCH challenges the region faces.
Against this backdrop, there is a need for medical professionals to work together to ensure that no one is left behind and that every mother and child in East Africa receives high-quality healthcare.
