Goal 5 : Improve Maternal Health
Target 6: Reduce by ¾ between 1990 and 2015 the maternal mortality ratio.
Progress has been made in Guyana towards reducing maternal mortality rates. Over the last 13 years, the maternal mortality rate has declined at an annual average rate of 1.3 percent. In 2006 the maternal mortality ratio was 113 deaths per 100,000 live births.
Goal 5 calls for reducing the rate of maternal mortality to only 35 deaths per 100,000 live births by the year 2015. For Guyana to be able to reach that target the rate will need to decline substantially faster over the next years.
What is being done to improve maternal health?
The major causes of maternal mortality in Guyana are haemorrhages during pregnancy and childbirth, abortions and indirectly obstetric related.
Recommendations from the 2003 MDG report have informed initiatives already underway to address this problem
A Basic Nutrition Programme targets anaemia, maternal haemorrhage, and malnutrition among women and children through the distribution of a micro-nutrient powder, Sprinkles. The Reproductive Health Care programme has been expanded to provide training in gynaecology and counselling in family planning and contraceptive use. This programme also aims at improving the safety of labour and delivery in both urban and rural areas.
Another programme focuses on the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS and other STI's through training in all regions of Guyana. Counselling and care and treatment services are being made available to infected women in at least one location in each region.
A National Strategic Plan for the reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality has been developed by the Ministry of Health with support from PAHO.
In 2006 almost 98 percent of deliveries were attended by skilled personnel, a great improvement from 86 percent only six years earlier.
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