I have traveled to Africa many times, and whenever I go, I want to learn about the newest maternal health interventions that help African mothers survive pregnancy and postpartum. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the continent with the highest rate of maternal mortality due in part to remote areas that do not have enough skilled birth attendants to provide quality care. Most pregnancy and childbirth interventions are known to work and are inexpensive, yet mothers on the continent continue to die at a rate of 338 per 100,000 live births. The African Union recently released its report: The Causes and Drivers of Maternal and Child Mortality in Africa. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania and African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, says in the report on maternal health that deaths “are not clinical problems. They are problems of administration, of financing and of follow-through.”

Sixty-nine percent of all maternal deaths take place in the African Union member states, and to reach the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, progress needs to be ten times faster than it is now. There is some good news, however. Maternal mortality in some member states has progressed better than in others. For example, Tanzania and Ethiopia have emphasized skilled birth attendants and equipped them with the tools, education, and the confidence they need for the day of birth. With partnerships and financing, maternal mortality in these countries has decreased over a ten-year period. And, eight African Union member states have already reached the Sustainable Development Goals.

According to the report, more must be done to reduce the number of mothers and children who are dying needlessly. For mothers in particular, there is no need for additional knowledge to keep them alive. The know-how is there, but member states need to include maternal health in the budget lines, and Ministers of Health need to update their Heads of State on what has been done to improve maternal and child health. Additionally, regional data must be kept in mind when creating maternal and child health interventions and improvements. For example, West Africa has 682 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, and North Africa records only 50 maternal deaths per live births.

The report also mentions that most maternal deaths are the result of hemorrhages and hypertensive disorders. Anemia is also a cause of maternal deaths in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger. For children, deaths occur due to prematurity and intrapartum asphyxia. Data show that delays are one of the leading contributors to maternal and child mortality. Women experience delays in deciding to go to a clinic or hospital to give birth, delays in traveling to that health center, and delays in getting skilled birth care. The African Union also knows that most causes of maternal and child deaths are wholly preventable. Deaths are caused by a delayed response to care.

This new African Union report goes into deep detail about member states about how they are tackling this issue. As aforementioned, some member states are further along than others, but as a continent there is a consensus that more can be done to save women and children. One data point that is consistent is that hemorrhage is the leading cause of death for pregnant African women. The report provides recommendations for member states to improve mortality rates and also includes a profile for each state’s policies and financing.

To read the report, visit the African Union’s report page.