360,000 women die yearly from childbirth complications- Amb Kikwete says Africa’s failure is not science but action
Former Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete argues that Africa's high maternal mortality rate is a failure of policy and implementation rather than a lack of medical science. He emphasizes that proven, low-cost interventions exist but are not being effectively deployed to the communities that need them most.
Why it matters
Addressing the implementation gap in healthcare could save hundreds of thousands of lives annually in Africa, where 70% of global maternal deaths occur.
Former President of Tanzania, Dr Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete , has stated that Africa’s inability to prevent maternal deaths is not due to a lack of medical solutions but a failure to implement proven interventions.
Speaking at a high-level interactive policy dialogue on “Advancing Africa’s Health Agenda through Domestic Financing, Accountability, and Strategic Innovations” on the margins of the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Health, Dr Kikwete said the continent has the knowledge, medicines, and technologies required to prevent most pregnancy- and childbirth-related deaths.
He said the continued loss of mothers reflects weaknesses in political commitment, financing, and healthcare delivery systems.
“Globally, every year, 360,000 women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Sadly, nearly 70% of these women happen to be African women,” Dr Kikwete said.
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