- Your Royal Highness,
- Distinguished Fellows and Members of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists,
- Distinguished Fellows and Members of the Royal Society of Medicine,
- Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure and privilege for me to join you today at the launching of the textbook entitled “Post-Partum Haemorrhage: A Comprehensive Guide to Evaluation, Management and Surgical Intervention”.
The launching of this textbook today marks a great milestone in our joint efforts at achieving the Millennium Development Goal 5, which aims to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters, a daunting task indeed for most developing countries. The African region, especially Eastern and Western Africa has the highest ratio of women dying as a result of pregnancy or childbirth in the world, estimated at an average of 1,000 per 100,000 live births.
Half of all the maternal deaths worldwide occur in the African Region, a region that accounts for only 12% of the world’s population. This has been a direct result of the defects in the social, cultural and economic status of women as well as inadequacies in existing health systems. The causes of maternal death include obstructive labour, hypertension disorders, sepsis, indirect causes such as malaria, anaemia and HIV/AIDS among others.
Post-Partum Haemorrhage accounts for 25% of the aetiology of maternal mortality. Malaria in pregnancy predisposes women to a number of complications including anaemia, which places them at a higher risk of mortality from haemorrhage. It is worth noting that qualified health personnel assist only 46 % of the deliveries.
The above situation makes reduction of maternal mortality one of the priorities of the WHO Regional Office for Africa.
This invitation is an acknowledgement of our joint efforts towards improved maternal health and reduction of maternal mortality.
The book that we launch today provides evidence-based practical guidance to build capacity of health providers in the management of post partum haemorrhage in both pre-service and in-service training.
The gap between the mortality rates from PPH in developed countries and developing countries underscores the need for effectiveness and timeliness of the health systems in responding to pregnancy and childbirth related complications. There is also an urgent need to finding low-cost interventions that can be implemented in poor resource settings. This textbook provides such options.
I encourage practitioners, tutors and trainers to apply this book at all levels of care along with other interventions, such as, community participation to increase timely and appropriate utilisation of health services.
In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, I wish to indicate at this point that WHO will continue to work hand in hand with all partners, including the research and academic communities to promote the implementation of evidence-based interventions to improve maternal health in the world. We shall contribute to the dissemination of this book and hope it will make a difference for future generations.
I thank you.