Disclaimer: This is an English translation of an Amharic article taken from DW Amharic and is intended solely for information purposes.
DW Amharic – Expecting mothers are unable to receive medical care due to ongoing insecurity in Amhara Region
Alemnew Mekonnen
October 29, 2024
As a result of the ongoing security problem a significant number of expecting mothers have been unable to reach health institutions and when they manage to, their condition is severe they say, for this reason many suffer fistula, and beyond this many lose their lives.
The number of mothers giving birth in health institutions in Amhara Region has dropped below 55% according to health experts, in Quarit Woreda of West Gojjam Zone alone, over 49 mothers died from complications related to childbirth according to a mothers and childrens expert in Finote Selam Hospital. As a result of the security problem in the region information exchange has drastically been reduced according to the experts.
The ongoing lack of security in Amhara Region has caused problems in many sectors but the health sector is the most concerning.
Insecurity in various areas followed by repeated road closures has prevented patients from reaching health institutions, and another challenge has been medicines and other materials reaching health centers. The problem has been the main cause for the deaths and suffering of countless expecting mothers according to a mothers and children's professional in Finote Selam Hospital who asked their name not be mentioned.
The number of women giving birth in health centers has decreased
As a result of the ongoing security situation a large number of expecting mothers have not been able to come to health centers and when they do, it is in dire conditions, for this reason some are exposed to fistula, and beyond this some lose their lives.
They said, “the majority of mothers are not coming to health centers, and if they do it is after they encounter problems associated with home childbirths In which they use carriages/wooden beds/manual force, over the last budget year over 8 mothers died and another 9 suffered fistula after reaching medical services using this road.”
Over the last budget year over 49 mothers died from caused related to childbirth in one woreda alone, the expert explained based on information they received.
In Quarit Woreda over 49 mothers have died from caused related to childbirth
According to the expert since Hamle 2016 over 49 mothers lost their lives from childbirth related causes in Quarit Woreda of West Gojjam Zone alone, based on a report received from woreda experts.
The North Wollo Zone Amhara Region Health Bureau head Woizero Feleku Mekonnen explained the number of expecting mothers who deliverh health centers has been reduced by more than half over the past 3 months due to ambulance shortages and other reasons.
The main reason mothers have been unable to come to health centers to deliver has been due to lack of ambulances says the expert, who said for this reason mothers have been giving birth in health centers at a reduced rate, over the past 3 months in the zone, the number of expecting mothers coming to health centers has been reduced by more than 50%, they said.
The number of mothers delivering in health centers in Amhara Region is only 55%
The Amhara Region Health Bureau head Ato Abdulkarim Mengistu said a significant number of mothers are not coming to health institutions due to the current security problem in the region, and has called on all stakeholders to play their role in ensuring mothers can come to health centers and give birth.
Ato Abdulkarim says as a result of the security situation the health sector is not functioning at full capacity and for this reason mothers have not been able to come to health centers and give birth, he said overall the rate of childbirth in health centers across the region has been 55%. He mentioned that the transportation problem and the lack of ambulances have been the main problems.
The Amhara Region Health Bureau “we only have internet access in 18 towns”
The regional health bureau’s director of planning, monitoring and evaluation Ato Amare Shumet says problems arising from the current situation have made information exchange very difficult.
Throughout each woreda internet services are not freely available which has greatly affected information exchange and made it a major problem. He explained the access problem saying, “internet access is only available in 18 towns in the region.”
Prior to this during the northern war and now during the security problem in Amhara Region, the region’s health system and facilities have been said to have been significantly impacted at various times.
Alemnew Mekonnen
Negash Mehamed
Yohannes Gebreigziabeher
