WHO says Africa’s fight against maternal and infant mortality suffers setbacks
As per a recent World Health Organization (WHO) report released on Thursday, the continent of Africa is anticipated to experience a deceleration in the progress achieved over the past decade in combating maternal and infant mortality.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) concerning health were divided into nine objectives, and the Atlas of African Health Statistics 2022 indicated that if advancement is to persist at the current pace, additional funding will be necessary. Decreasing maternal mortality will be among the most challenging goals to attain.
The Atlas 2022 predicts that by 2030, there will be 390 maternal fatalities for every 100,000 live births in sub-Saharan Africa. This figure is considerably greater than the average of 13 fatalities per 100,000 live births reported in Europe in 2017 and exceeds more than five times the 2030 SDG target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. It surpasses the global average of 211. At the existing rate of decline, Africa must reduce its figures by 86% from 2017, the most recent year for which statistics were available, to meet the SDG target.
The infant mortality rate in the region stands at 72 for every 1,000 live births. By 2030, it is projected that there will be 54 fatalities per 1,000 live births, significantly exceeding the reduction goal of less than 25 per 1,000, based on the current annual decline rate of 3.1%.
“Africa has achieved some of the quickest reduction rates globally in crucial health objectives, yet the momentum is diminishing. This indicates that for numerous African women, childbirth remains a constant threat, and millions of children do not survive long enough to celebrate their fifth birthday,” stated Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “It is essential for governments to initiate a profound course-correction, overcome challenges, and accelerate progress towards health goals. These objectives are not mere markers, but the very bedrock of healthier lives and well-being for millions.”
Despite the region’s advancement toward key health goals, such as vaccine coverage, being on the decline, notable achievements have been made in some sectors over the first decade of the twenty-first century. Neonatal death rates fell by 21%, maternal mortality decreased by 28%, and under-5 mortality saw a reduction of 35%. All three targets have stagnated over the past decade, particularly maternal mortality. While 56.3% of women of reproductive age (15-49) in Africa had access to modern contraceptives in 2020, the continent still had the lowest performance in family planning relative to the global average of 77%.
The disruptive influence of the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the slowdown. During the pandemic, essential health services, including antenatal care, immunization, neonatal intensive care units, and postnatal services for women and newborns were interrupted. Since 2021, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases have surged in Africa. Between January and March 2022 and the same period the previous year, measles cases rose by 400%.
One of the significant hurdles in achieving the SDG on health is insufficient funding for health initiatives and investments. For example, a 2022 WHO survey of 47 African nations revealed that the region has a ratio of 1.55 health workers (doctors, nurses, and midwives) per 1,000 individuals, which is lower than the WHO threshold density of 4.45 health workers per 1,000 individuals required to provide basic healthcare and achieve universal health coverage.
According to Atlas 2022, only 65% of births in the African region are supervised by trained health professionals, which is the lowest rate worldwide and significantly below the 90% target established for 2030. Skilled birth attendants are crucial for the health of pregnant women and new mothers. Nearly half of all fatalities in children under five are attributable to birth defects. To decrease the under-5 mortality rate to fewer than 25 deaths per 1,000 live births, action must be accelerated to meet this reduction goal.
In addition, the Atlas 2022 supplies current data for over 50 SDG health indicators and presents comprehensive country-level statistics for the region.
Dr. Humphrey Karamagi, Senior Technical Officer, Health Systems Development, WHO Regional Office for Africa, conducted a press briefing for WHO today. Dr. Benjamin Tsofa, the principal researcher at the Kenya Medical Research Institute, accompanied him.
Dr. Fiona Braka, Team Lead, Emergency Operations, Dr. Fank Lule, Medical Officer, HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care, and Dr. Serge Bataliack, Strategic Health Information Officer, were also present from the WHO Regional Office for Africa to address inquiries.
