Ethiopian Review

Addis Ababa — Ethiopian government is exerting utmost efforts geared toward significantly reducing maternal and child mortality rates, the Ministry of Health disclosed.

The rates of maternal and child mortality in Ethiopia have been remarkably declining from time to time, Healthcare and Disease Prevention Director General with the Ministry, Dr. Kesete Birhan said.

The director made the remark here on Tuesday while addressing a relevant workshop entitled ‘Addressing Community Maternal Neonatal Health in Ethiopia: Evidence-based Recommendations for Increased Demand, Access to and Use of Service’.

Despite a strong commitment to the MDGs on the part of the government, international donors, NGOs, and community, maternal and child mortality rates in the country are not yet reduced to a desired level.

The government has trained and deployed 30,000 health extension workers across the various localities of the nation in a bid to provide house-to-house healthcare services to public, according to the director.

The Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG) Vice President, Dr. Ashebir Gaym on his part said lots of mothers die of hemorrhage and other birth-related problems every year.

Mothers and children in the country die mostly due to hemorrhage, abortion, early marriage, abduction, and harmful traditional practices, he said. Hence, a series of awareness-raising activities shall be provided to curb the problem.

The workshop attracted officials from federal and regional offices, universities, research centers, donor agencies, civil society organizations, NGOs, health service institutions.

- ENA