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Catholic Entity Identifies African Nation with “one of highest maternal mortality rates”

Sokorey and her baby boy being discharged from Dollow Referral Health Centre. Credit: Trócaire

The leadership of the overseas development agency of the Catholic Bishops of Ireland, Trócaire, has said that Somalia, a country in the Horn of Africa, is among top countries with more women dying from births or pregnancy complications in the world.

In a Tuesday, May 3 report, Trócaire officials made reference to the Somalia Health Demographic Survey report, 2020, and said that most of the deaths that originate from the complications can be avoided.

“Somalia has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world with 692 of every 100,000 births resulting in deaths… Most of these deaths are preventable,” Trócaire officials said.

The leadership of the Catholic entity said that most people in the Horn of Africa country are less informed on the issues of health and that those who have some knowledge normally delay to access the services.

“There is a lack of knowledge and access to health services. The few who can access medical care often delay, putting themselves at a greater risk,” Trócaire officials say in the report.

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Through the emergency obstetric and neonatal care program under Dollow Referral Health Centre, the leadership of the Irish Catholic entity says that the lives of a good number of mothers have been saved.

In the May 3 report, the program, which is funded by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that is located in Gedo in Southern Somalia, more than 5,000 mothers receive vital care every year.

Sokorey Hassan, a 38-year-old mother of 11 is among 6,000 mothers who benefited from the Trócaire-led Somali Health and Nutrition Program.

In the report, Trócaire officials explain that Ms. Hassan visited their health facility where she was examined and discharged after being advised to consider frequent visits for checkups. They add that she did not follow the advice.

The leadership of the Catholic entity further say Ms. Hassan was determined to have a home delivery as she had done for her 10 children but unfortunately ran into complications.

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“She started bleeding heavily at home and was taken back by ambulance to Dollow Referral Health Centre. On admission, she was cold, gasping for air and showing signs of respiratory failure. Her unborn baby’s fetal heart rate was weak,” Trócaire officials say in the report.

After she was attended to, Ms. Hassan had a safe delivery and was later discharged, they add.

In the May 3 report, the Somalian mother of 11 expressed gratitude to the health officers of the hospital. She promised to ensure that her other 10 children are immunized.

“I thought I was going to die, but doctors and nurses saved my life here in Trócaire. My son also received immunization. None of my other children had been immunized before,” Ms. Hassan is quoted as telling the health officers, adding, “Two of my children are still eligible for the vaccine, and I will ensure to bring them for immunization.”

She explained, “All my other pregnancies were fine with no bleeding. If I had stayed at home a little longer, I would have died from profuse bleeding, and my children do not have a grandmother to take care of them.”

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Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.