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Letsatsi Selikoe and Remember the Mob
Maternal mortality remains a critical issue affecting women of childbearing age across Africa. It remains a serious threat, especially in Lesotho.
The worst affected populations are those living in hard-to-reach areas due to Lesotho’s mountainous terrain, which prevents women from seeking maternal health services and in most cases from receiving services throughout their pregnancy.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Lesotho’s maternal mortality rate has worsened from 545 in 2000 to 566 in 2020. Lesotho’s maternal mortality rate is higher than the regional average. This means that for every 100,000 live births, 566 women die.
It is against this backdrop that the government of Prime Minister Sam Matekane has taken a decisive step towards reforming the healthcare system by opening a state-of-the-art maternity facility, the Lebakken Mother and Baby Home, in the Lebakken area of Gachasnek.
The establishment of this facility is a commendable step towards reducing the alarming maternal mortality rate that has long plagued remote communities.
Mother’s Home Lebakeng is a maternal health facility that aims to provide better quality medical services to pregnant women and new mothers, taking a major step towards improving maternal health care.
In launching the facility, Mr. Matt Kane stressed the importance of the initiative in addressing the pressing issue of maternal mortality in Africa.
The World Health Organization has long highlighted the alarming maternal mortality rate in Africa, largely due to a lack of medical facilities.
In many cases, women are forced to travel long distances to reach health facilities, only to be delayed by poor road conditions, bad weather and other potentially deadly obstacles.
WHO recognizes that bringing health facilities closer to villages is a critical step in reducing maternal mortality.
In line with WHO’s strategy, Lesotho has partnered with Partners in Health (PIH) to establish the Lebakeng Mother and Baby Home, a facility specifically designed to accommodate expectant mothers. The facility will reduce the risk of complications and ensure that pregnant women receive timely medical care when they need it.
Mr. Mateken praised the efforts of all stakeholders involved in the project. He particularly praised the contribution of PIH.
“Today we take a step forward in the health of pregnant women and newborns,” he said.
“We are proud to join the global effort to improve maternal health care and we urge the community to protect this facility and ensure it fulfils its role.”
Eminent guests at the event included Chief Mojela Theko, Democratic Congress (DC) Lebakeng constituency MP Letsekang Moloi and representatives from the Ministry of Health and Flying Doctors.
The Prime Minister said the Lebakeng Mothers’ Home is more than just a building, it represents the government’s commitment to prioritising the health and wellbeing of Lesotho’s most vulnerable.
The facility is equipped with modern facilities and is staffed with well-trained medical professionals to provide round-the-clock care to pregnant women.
Mr Matt Kane called on the Lebakken community to protect the facility and ensure it serves its intended purpose.
“I thank the (development) partners who have been working to make Lesotho a better place, which includes building infrastructure like this. This gift comes at the perfect time as we are celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Basotho people,” said Mr Matken.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) recently held a media capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening media understanding and advocacy on sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR).
It reviews 30 years of progress since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and discusses the recent ICPD report on sexual and reproductive health rights.
The report shows that the pregnancy rate among 15-year-olds in Lesotho is 3%, while the pregnancy rate among children under 9 is as high as 40%.
The ambitious goals of the ICPD include eliminating maternal mortality, unmet need for family planning, and addressing gender-based violence and the spread of HIV.
At that media training session, Blandinah Motaung, Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) Coordinator at UNFPA, stressed that maternal mortality remains high in Lesotho due to inadequate maternal health services.
Ms. Motang said Lesotho has the third highest maternal mortality rate in Africa and the second highest in the Southern African Development Community region.
“The country with the highest maternal mortality rate is South Sudan, followed by Somalia and then Lesotho.”
Ms. Motang attributed Lesotho’s high mortality rate to “Basotho women generally not receiving quality care” and “failing to seek appropriate care when they are pregnant.”
Ms Motang said the key factor in failing to seek proper care during pregnancy was the affordability of medical services and supplements.
She said it was unfortunate that pregnant women who needed antenatal care would not come in the early stages of pregnancy due to the ingrained culture of avoiding antenatal care.
Even when women receive prenatal care, 90 percent rarely follow guidelines, she said.
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