via CAAI
12/10/2010
There are several challenges ahead for Cambodia in its efforts to reduce maternal mortality rates, according to one expert.
Shin Young-Soo, director of the western Pacific region for the World Health Organization (WHO), said at a recent meeting in Kuala Lumpur that it is "shameful" women are still dying in childbirth, particularly as most deaths are preventable.
He highlighted Cambodia along with Laos and Papua New Guinea as facing particular challenges in this respect, AFP reports.
Currently, there are 300 deaths for every 100,000 live births in Cambodia, compared with between 35 and 74 deaths for every 100,000 births across the entire western Pacific region.
Despite this, Mr Shin praised a scheme in the country that encourages villages to report maternal deaths to a special national centre that can then aid health officials in identifying specific areas to target for help.
"Health systems should be strengthened to ensure women have universal access to high-quality reproductive health services," he commented.
WHO's figures suggest that 1,500 women die from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications every day.
No comments:
Post a Comment