Maternal Mortality in Afghanistan: Prioritizing women

Dr. Sayed M. Amin FatimieAmbassador

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Basic Factscapital: Kabul

Religion: Islam 99%,

others 1%

Language: National

official languages are

Pashto and Dari, up to

40 other languages are

spoken, multilingualism

is common

GDP: 14 Billion

Afghanistan & Japan

Afghanistan Japan

Geography: Landlocked Archipelago

Area: 647,500sq.km 377,873sq.km

Topology: Arable land, mountainous, deserts

Mountainous

Population: 28-32 million 127.7 million

Demographics (age): 0-14: 44.7%15-64: 52.9%Over 65: 2.4%

0-14: 13.1%15-64: 64%Over 65: 22.9%

Population Growth Rate:

2.375% -1.278%

Maternal Mortality Ratio - Historically

Afghan Women in Society• Women are valued members of Afghan society, both now

and historically.

• Afghanistan was a regional leader in women’s rights, having allowed voting rights and many other rights early.

• By the 1970s and 80s, women’s place in society increased to the point where, among many other achievements, women outnumbered men 80-20 at Kabul University.

Maternal Mortality Ratios• Under the oppressive Taliban regime, women lost many

rights.

• In one such example, women were not allowed to be doctors

so women were not given proper care.

• Due to this, women’s heath problems increased – and

progress in areas such as the Maternal Mortality Ratio

stopped.

Maternal Mortality Ratios

• In 1978, the mortality ratio in Afghanistan was 3,040 per

100,000 live births

• In 2002, the mortality ratio was 1600 per 100,000.

Comparatively, Japan was 10 per 100,000 and the US was

13 per 100,000 in 2000. Regional nations also had lower

ratios – Bangladesh, for example, had only 382 deaths per

100,000 live births (according to WHO estimates).

Steps Taken to Save Lives

Actions Taken• In 2003, a hospital for midwifery education was

erected with the support of USAID

• In 2003, Basic Health Care Packages were

launched, prioritizing the reduction of the

Maternal Mortality Ratio and Child Mortality Rate

• In 2007, the Maternity Waiting Home Project was

launched, helping 1000 women per month with

prenatal care, natal care, and postnatal care

• A series of educational pamphlets was created and

distributed nationwide

Results• Between 2002 & 2009: 38% reduction in Maternal

Mortality Ratios

• 2010: According to preliminary reports by John Hopkins

University and the MoPH and other sponsors to be

released soon, MMR is now 290 per 100,000 live births

– a tremendous decline.

• While a great improvement, still compared to countries

like Japan, who had 6 deaths per 100,000 live births in

2008, we are still far off from where we aim to be.

Working towards even more lives saved

Future Goals• Reaching the Millennium Development Goals (created in

2002): For Afghanistan, we aim for a reduction of the

MMR by 75% by 2020 (50% by 2015 and an additional

25% by 2020)

• Establishing at least 1 healthcare center for every 25,000

people

• Employing 30,000 healthcare workers, including an

increased number of midwives

Goals: How we will get there

• Through expanding such successful programs as the

“Basic Package of Health Services,” made in association

with USAID, the World Bank, EC, JICA, and other stake

holders which focused on training local Afghans on

sanitation and medical procedure, nationwide

• Expansion of the midwifery schools

• Implementation and Expansion of the Essential Package

of Hospital Services (EPHS)

• Promotion of use of offered medical services and public

health education

Manana – Tashakor – ありがとうございます – Thank you