Govt to reduce ‘alarmingly high’ maternal deaths by 2030

The Ministry of Health and Social Services has renewed its commitment to reducing maternal and neonatal deaths and improving infant nutrition at a World Health Day event at Katima Mulilo.

Health minister Esperance Luvindao says the ministry hopes to reduce maternal mortality and neonatal mortality rates significantly by 2030.

She said this during a World Health Day event at Katima Mulilo on Monday.

The theme for his year is ‘Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures’, with a specific focus on maternal and newborn health dedicated to raising awareness of the critical importance of the health and well-being of mothers and newborns.

Luvindao said the current rates of maternal and neonatal mortality remain alarmingly high in many regions, especially in low-resource settings.

She said the 2020 World Health Organisation (WHO) report indicated that Namibia’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) was 215 deaths per 100 000 live births, and the neonatal mortality rate was 19 deaths per 1 000 live births.

“This is alarmingly high. No mother should die in the process of giving birth. Similarly, neonatal deaths account for a significant proportion of deaths among children under five years,” she said.

Luvindao said Namibia is committed to addressing the health and nutrition of women, children, and adolescents to ensure the long-term health and well-being of the nation.

As such, the ministry would like to achieve the global targets set by the WHO and the United Nations to reduce maternal mortality to less than 70 per 100 000 live births by 2030, and to reduce neonatal mortality to less than 12 per 1 000 live births by 2030.

“As a signatory to global and national commitments, Namibia strives to achieve these Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Nutrition Targets by 2030,” she said.

The minister said over the years, breastfeeding practices in Namibia have declined due to factors such as employed nursing mothers with competing work priorities, teenage mothers who need to return to school, accessibility to various marketing of infant feeding products, and inappropriate complementary feeding of infants.

“A smart survey conducted by the health ministry late last year has shown that the rate of exclusive breastfeeding stands at 49%. Additionally, the introduction of solid foods at six to eight months is only done in 78% of cases, while continued breastfeeding to two years is only done in 36% of cases.

“The undesirable feeding practices contribute to high levels of malnutrition and stunting (children who are small for their age) in Namibia, which has adverse effects later in the life of a child,” Luvindao said.

WHO country representative Richard Banda has appealed to the Namibian government and stakeholders to invest more in maternal and health infrastructure, human resources, and essential medical supplies.

He said the government should empower communities to be in charge of maternal and child health through health education and social mobilisation.

“Furthermore, they should address inequities and leave no woman or child behind – regardless of socio-economic status or geography. And use technology and innovation to improve service delivery, data collection, and decision-making,” he said.