By Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK, April 5 — Every two minutes, a woman dies giving birth – this shocking statistic highlights the urgent need for improved maternal health care around the world. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), most of these deaths are preventable, but healthcare systems routinely fail women and girls, leaving them with little or no access to life-saving health services.
This year’s World Health Day calls for “health for all”, which means ensuring universal access to quality sexual and reproductive health care, including contraception, maternal health services, and gender-based violence prevention and response. The COVID-19 pandemic has made this goal even more challenging, as many countries have deprioritized and cut funds for essential sexual and reproductive health services, leaving women and girls even more vulnerable.
Gender discrimination is often the driving force behind such decisions, and it’s time for the world to recognize that the health and well-being of women and girls are just as important as any other goal. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes a commitment to achieving universal health coverage and access to sexual and reproductive health services, but in most countries, essential interventions are excluded from universal health coverage benefits packages.
UNFPA is working to support health systems in providing quality sexual and reproductive health services that reach every person, regardless of their location, socio-economic status, or ability. Investing in sexual and reproductive health care is not only an investment in sustainable development, but it also generates economic gains. UNFPA estimates that investing a single dollar in ending preventable maternal deaths and the unmet need for family planning by 2030 can yield economic benefits of up to $8.40 by 2050.
On this World Health Day, let us prioritize the right of all people to reach the highest possible standard of health. By expanding access to sexual and reproductive health services, we can help ensure that every woman, girl, and young person can live up to their full potential and contribute to a more equal, prosperous, and sustainable future for all.
– Namibia Daily News
