Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Maternal death rate sliding, claims gov’t

Maternal death rate sliding, claims gov’t

Maternal death rate sliding, claims gov’t

Cambodia's Ministry of Health said yesterday that it recorded 116 “cases” of maternal mortality in 2013, a figure that is markedly lower than accepted rates recorded by health organisations in recent years.

The ministry’s annual report mentions the 116 cases, but does not specify if this figure is a rate per 100,000 live births, a common way of presenting such data.

It also does not provide a specific definition of what it considers maternal mortality.

Recent studies have placed Cambodia’s maternal mortality rate at between about 200 and 300 deaths per 100,000 live births.

In a 2013 report, the United Nations Population Fund found that 250 women died per 100,000 live births in Cambodia, or nearly double the Kingdom’s 2015 Millennium Development Goal.

But Health Minister Mam Bun Heng said at yesterday’s report launch that “according to the report, [we] have nearly achieved the Kingdom’s 2015 Millennium Development Goal”.

According to the ministry’s report, about 320,000 births were recorded last year, 80 per cent of which took place in recognised health centres.

“The government is making efforts to promote women giving birth in health centres, especially in rural areas, and that’s why we want to expand more health centres,” Bun Heng said.

Denise Shepherd-Johnson, UNICEF Cambodia’s chief of communications, said that while the rate in Cambodia was declining, other maternal deaths at home or in private health facilities may have gone unrecorded by the government last year.

“Although there has been a decrease in maternal mortality . . . disparities exist for women in deprived or hard-to-reach communities where they do not have access to basic and essential health services and where it is a norm to use traditional birth attendants,” she said.

Tung Rathavy, director of the National Maternal and Child Health Centre, said the government needed to focus on increasing prenatal care and reproductive healthcare access.

MOST VIEWED

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to

  • Angkor Beer strengthens national pride with golden new look and fresher taste

    Angkor Beer – the "Gold of Angkor" – has a new look, one that is more stylish and carries a premium appeal, as well as a fresher taste and smoother flavour, making it the perfect choice for any gathering. Angkor Beer recently launched its new design, one

  • Water supply authority assures public shortages over early ‘24

    The Phnom Penh Water Supply Authority (PPWSA) asked for understanding from Phnom Penh residents in some communes where water pressure is weak. They assured residents that all supply issues will be resolved by early 2024, but have suggested that residents use water sparingly in the meantime.

  • PM urges end to ‘baseless’ international Ream base accusations

    Prime Minister Hun Sen urges an end to “baseless” foreign accusations surrounding the development of the Kingdom’s Ream Naval Base, as the US has consistently suggested that the base is being expanded to accommodate a Chinese military presence. Hun Sen renewed his calls while

  • Khmer ballet documentary debuts April 1

    A new documentary, The Perfect Motion, or Tep Hattha in Khmer, will premiere to the public on April 1. The documentary film follows two intertwined storylines: the creation of a show called Metamorphosis by the late Princess Norodom Buppha Devi (her very last production) and the