Social injustice is major cause of maternal death, says UNFPA

Social injustice, poverty and lack of understanding by pregnant women have been identified as some of the major factors causing high rate of maternal and perinatal death in the country.

Ogun State Programme Officer for United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA), Mrs. Damilola Obinna disclosed this during a meeting with Heads of Secondary and Tertiary Health facilities on Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance Audits (MPDSA) in Abeokuta, the State capital.

Obinna who said social injustices such as early marriage have contributed to the high rate of maternal and perinatal death, insisting that inadequate Health Care Centres within the reach of pregnant women have led to about 111 deaths of women and girls per day.

She submitted that such deaths could have been averted if family members and communities were involved in the system and more equipped Health centres with the required personnel were within the reach of the women.