16/06/2019
Maternal mortality in resource-poor nations has been attributed to the “3 delays”: delay in deciding to seek care, delay in reaching care in time, and delay in receiving adequate treatment.
The first delay is on the part of the mother, family, or community not recognizing a life-threatening condition. Because most deaths occur during labour or in the first 24 hours postpartum, recognizing an emergency is not easy. Most births occur at home with unskilled attendants, and it takes skill to predict or prevent bad outcomes and medical knowledge to diagnose and immediately act on complications. By the time the lay midwife or family realizes there is a problem, it is too late.
The second delay is in reaching a health-care facility, and may be due to road conditions, lack of transportation, or location. Many villages do not have access to paved roads and many families do not have access to vehicles. Public transportation (or animals) may be the main transportation method. This means it may take hours or days to reach a health-care facility. Women with life-threatening conditions often do not make it to the facility in time.
The third delay occurs at the healthcare facility. Upon arrival, women receive inadequate care or inefficient treatment. Resource-poor nations with fragile health-care facilities may not have the technology or services necessary to provide critical care to hemorrhaging, infected, or seizing patients. Omissions in treatment, incorrect treatment, and a lack of supplies contribute to maternal mortality.
I still maintain that no one should die while giving life. Bo Ntate for a very long time we are have been stumbling blocks and I reckon the time is now that we champion the cause to eradicate and or reduce the maternal mortality.
Lesotho Government in collaboration with its development partners are running free family planning services and it is highly recommended that partners attend them. Ho lona bo Ntate! Hang feela ha molekane oa hao a sa hlatsoa, mo ts'oare ka letsoho ho ea setsing sa bophelo se haufi, molekane a qalelle ho fumana lits'ebeletso. Tsamaisang tsela eena ho fihlela lesea le hlahile. Ts'ehetsa molekane oa hao khahlanong le liqholotso tsohle.
To Lesotho government, we thank you for constructing world class Health Centres, with lodging facilities for expecting mothers, and with requisite staffing pattern of well trained midwives. We thank you for that. All that we are asking is resuscitation of the out reach programme on a larger scale, and financing of health programmes as per strategy. Too much money is spent on support services and core services share the minimal remainder.
Khotso E Masheane
: Partners In Health
