The Provincial Health office in Lusaka, has expressed worry and concern over the increased cases of maternal deaths being recorded at the Women and Newborn hospital of the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).
Lusaka Province Provincial Health Director Bushimbwa Tambatamba says there is need for concerted efforts to ensure that no mother dies while giving birth.
Dr. Tambatamba was speaking in Lusaka yesterday during a management meeting for provincial heads of department chaired by Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Robert Kamalata.
She said the Women and Newborn hospital at the University Teaching Hospital has continued recording cases of mothers dying while giving birth and also after giving birth because expected mothers are referred to this facility in critical stages.
Dr. Tambatamba said the Women and Newborn hospital is just a referral hospital receiving expectant mothers from other facilities in the province.
She said civic and traditional leaders should be brought on board and sensitised on the need to encourage expectant mothers to be attending antenatal clinics regularly.
Dr. Tambatamba says attending regular antenatal clinics enables health workers to intervene when they see signs of danger in the expectant mothers.
She adds that delays in starting attending antenatal clinics and allowing expectant mothers to deliver in homes should be discouraged saying this is what is contributing to increased cases of maternal deaths.
The provincial health director also appealed to the media to heighten the sensitisation on safe delivery by encouraging expectant mothers to deliver from health facilities.
“We to need to encourage expectant mothers to start attending antenatal clinics during the early stages of the pregnancy so that they are regularly checked by trained health personnel.
Dr. Tambatamba says health facilities in Lusaka have in recent past recorded cases of mumps, a viral infection that affects the salivary glands that’s easily preventable by a vaccine.
Mumps affects the parotid glands, salivary glands below and in front of the ears.The disease spreads through infected saliva
