Wa West Records Single Maternal Death in 2025 Following Zero Deaths in 2024

The Wa West District recorded one maternal death in 2025 after registering zero cases the previous year.

Speaking at the district’s 2025 Annual Health Sector Performance Review Meeting held in Wechiau, the District Director of Health Services, Cecilia Kakariba, said the isolated case has been carefully reviewed through a maternal mortality audit to identify lessons and guide preventive measures.

Despite the setback, she reported notable improvements across several maternal and child health indicators during the period under review. According to her, stillbirths reduced from seven to three, while home deliveries dropped significantly from eight to two.

She also noted increased family planning acceptance, improved immunization coverage, reduced malaria cases among pregnant women and children under five, and fewer late antenatal registrations.

Ms. Kakariba explained that these gains resulted from multiple interventions undertaken by the district health team, including routine clinical and public health services, maternal and child health programmes, surgical services, community engagement activities, and health campaigns.

She added that over 1,000 women were screened for cervical conditions, with 71 identified cases currently under follow-up care.

To address maternal mortality risks, she said the district has strengthened emergency response systems, including the deployment of a national ambulance and functioning tricycle ambulances stationed in various communities with support from the district assembly and Moving Health.

The director stressed that preventing maternal deaths requires collective action and called on chiefs, assembly members, women’s groups, and families to encourage pregnant women and caregivers of young children to seek early care at health facilities.

She reaffirmed the directorate’s commitment to improving rural healthcare delivery, noting that ongoing monitoring, supervision, logistics supply, and data validation systems are being reinforced to sustain progress and ensure better health outcomes across the district.