Liberia: Maternal health worsened since war ended
New statistics showing an increase in maternal mortality since the end of Liberia's civil war in 2003 have created alarm among health workers who say the country's almost non-existent healthcare system is to blame.
“We need to have 1,400 midwives and we have about 300,” said Liberian Health Minister Walter Gwenigale. “When you look at the statistics it tells you we need people to do this work. It is obvious that the women who are delivering are not delivering into safe hands.”
The new results, which come from the Liberia Demographic and Health Survey (LDHS) for the years 2006 to 2007, show that deaths among infants and children under five years old have gone down since the last survey was conducted in 1999 to 2000.
