Maternal, infant mortality on the rise says Ethiopian Ombudsman

By Staff Reporter

ADDIS ABABA – (BORKENA) – Ethiopian Institute of the Ombudsman (EIO) disclosed that maternal and infant mortality is increasing due to failure of the health institutions to act as per the national and international standards, sources said.  

The Weekly Amharic, Reporter has mentioned certain causes that contributed for the considerable increment of the maternal and infant mortality rate in 2022/23 Ethiopian Fiscal Year. In the present-day Ethiopia health institutions have made their focus of attention on inpatients or on people who visit the health institutions for treatment rather than preventing the diseases. Moreover, utilising ambulances for other purposes beyond the intended purpose has become the common trend. These two points have been taken as causes that can play roles in aggravating the problem, according to Reporter.

Head of Ethiopian Institute of the Ombudsman, Endale Haile (Dr) said that though a health institution was built with the standard of serving up to 25,000 people, the facts on the ground do not show that the facilities have met this standard in 2022/23 EFY.

The chief Ombudsman said that the assigning of professionals in health centres, in first level and referral hospitals was not implemented due to budget constraint of Regions which say they do not have the budget.

With regard to implementing the national and international standards of protecting children’s health in terms of delivery from the perspective of post-delivery and maternity services, the number of infant and maternal deaths has increased compared to the previous years, the 2022/23 annual report indicates.

The reduction of maternal and child mortality in Addis Ababa in the current 2022/23 Ethiopian Budget Year is four times higher than that of the previous FY, according to the news source.

The report indicated that in 2022/23 EFY 49 of 100,000 mothers died. The same year 53 deaths of the 89,000 mothers were recorded within nine months due to childbirth and related causes.

The reason for the increase in maternal and child mortality is that mothers who arrive at the health stations by referral from neighbouring areas, outside of Addis Ababa, are the ones that come very late and after the injuries get worse. These inpatients who visit the city’s health institutions die while receiving treatment thereby increasing the maternal and infant mortality rate.

Discussion held with concerned officials indicates that the largest mortality rate recorded in connection with the inefficiency of medical professionals in private hospitals. The report also said that in 2022/23 FBY 79 infants died. 

Alert and Abebech Gobena Hospitals have the highest number of patients, and the reason for this is the largest number of patients coming from Sendafa and Sululta areas with referral letters to Alert and Abebech Gobena Hospital, Reporter indicated. 

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