As a strategic move to curb the maternal death rate further and achieve millennium development goal 5, the government recently extended the fight to the village level.

This was announced recently by the Minister of Health, Dr. Richard Sezibera, during a meeting that was held with a visiting US medical team to discuss Rwanda’s health progress.

During the discussions, Sezibera noted that it was imperative to engage the community in fighting maternal death rates so that leaders at the village level can identify the causes of these deaths in bid to find a lasting solution.

"This year we started maternal death audits in villages because we believe that social audits on death causes will enable authorities identify answers to this problem,” the minister said.

"We believe that no woman should die giving life and once everyone partakes in this battle against maternal mortality, more women will be encouraged to deliver in hospitals – a major prevention strategy.”

According to the ministry’s statistics, last year alone, 200,000 women lost their lives due to delivery-related causes.

Officials also noted that other significant measures that have been put in place to address maternal health challenges also include provision of ambulances at countrywide hospitals and health centres.

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