Zanzibar deputy Health Minister, Hassan Khamis Hafidh made the statement yesterday in the House of Representatives when responding to a question from the Representative of Konde constituency, Zawadi Amour.
The deputy minister said that deaths during pregnancy may take place immediately after the mother becomes pregnant or six weeks after giving birth.
“Concerning the deaths of pregnant mothers that happened within 40 days between January and October 2023, statistics shows that 61 expectant mothers died during pregnancy in 42 days,” he said.
He also noted that to reduce the mortality rates for both expectant mothers and infants, experts have been insisting on pregnant women to make sure they get antenatal care which is essential for protecting the health of women and their unborn children.
Hafidh underscored the need for pregnant mothers to make sure they give birth at hospital and health centres so that the procedures are followed with supervision of professional health care workers.
The minister said that saving a mother and child during pregnancy requires a sufficient number of professional health care workers, equipment and medicines.
Some direct causes of maternal mortality include haemorrhage, pregnancy-induced hypertension, obstructed labour, infection and unsafe abortion.
Neonatal mortality is estimated at 29 per 1000 live births, infant mortality at 54 per 1000 live births and mortality in children under 5 years old at 73 per 1000 live births
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