Ntsoaki Motaung
As another way to reduce maternal mortality, Prime Minister Samuel Matekane officiated Waiting Mother’s home at Lebakeng Health Centre last week.
Speaking at the event, he indicated that the world at large recognises the importance of good health for women including expecting mothers and their newborn babies adding that Lesotho is no exception.
He said according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) study, it has been determined that states are affected by the loss of women and their babies before they can reach health facilities.
“This is because of many reasons including, remote health facilities, bad road infrastructure which makes it difficult for people to reach to the health centres and makes it hard for referral systems, as well as the effects of climate change which results in harsh weather conditions,” he said.
Matekane said as a way to reduce maternal and infant mortality, the WHO has recommended accessible health facilities which have homes where expecting mothers can wait while they are waiting to give birth.
“Waiting mother’s homes launched today, are going to be used to keep expecting mothers who are soon giving birth so that they could be next to the care they need as well as making it easy for them to be referred in time if the need arises, to save the lives of both the mother and the baby,” he said.
He said waiting mother’s homes were built with the support of Partners In Health which has not only assisted at Lebakeng Health Center only but also other health centres especially those that are hard to reach in the mountainous parts of the country.
Matekane further appealed to development partners to extend help to the other parts of Qacha’s Nek as well as in other districts.
According to Census 2016, Lesotho’s maternal mortality ratio was reduced from 566/100,000 live births to 38 per cent live births.
In an interview with Minister of Health Selibe Mochoboroane Lesotho is one of the countries that has high maternal mortality and to reduce it, waiting mother’s home is a way.
“We are building mother’s home in Bobete, Thaba Tseka, Lebakeng and others will be in Methalaneng, Phamong. The aim is to build at least five of them. We have identified places which we call hard-to-reach areas where people have to walk long distances to health centres. So we want to deal with those long trips to health centres,” he said.