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Maternal death reduction requires better education and health services

Luanda, 22 February 2012 – The Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Angola, Rui Vaz, said Wednesday in Luanda that the reduction of maternal and child mortality requires better education and health services, mainly in its sexual and reproductive aspects.

Addressing a lecture on African Women Reproductive Health, Rui Vaz said one of WHO propositions is for the country to have qualified health personnel as a factor of success in the access to reference hospital’s obstetric services. He also spoke of the need for investment in women health services, through the creation of an essential healthy environment.

According to the official, the main factors of risk for African women is their vulnerability, limited access to education, job, water and sanitation, coupled with high economic dependence and lack of courage to make decisions on their own lives. Rui Vaz also blamed women poor health condition on the lack of policies, strategies, multi-sector plan and absence of resources to face the programme.

On the other hand, the official spoke of the need for anti-conceptive means to remove the barriers facing the population, aggravated by the lack of trust in the health services.

To him, there should also be micro-credit to help women to become economically independent. He stated that there will be no women stable health condition, unless they are capable of making decisions on their own lives. The official also stated that the problem of women mortality should not concern the Health Ministry alone but the whole society.

Rui Vaz said investing in women and child health is above all a matter of social justice.