Over 200 women die while giving birth in Morocco
Morocco, Health, 4/8/2005

227 women per 10 000 die in Moroccan while giving birth according to figures of the Moroccan Ministry of Health.

Released on the eve of the World Health Day, organized under the motto "Make Every Mother and Child Count," the figures show that neonatal mortality reaches 27 per one thousand live births, and mortality of children under 5 years old is 47 per one thousand.

The total fertility rate is barely 2.5 children per woman, and life expectancy has appreciably increased to stand at 70 years in 2001.

On the other hand, the 2004 census shows that the demographic growth has been slashed to 1.4% owing to the development of the life conditions, but also to the adoption of an efficient family planning program.

Health ministry statistics also indicate that 90% of the children between 12 and 13 months are vaccinated against tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, tetanus (since 2002, Morocco is ranked by WHO and UNICEF among countries having eliminated neonatal tetanus), whooping cough, measles, and recently the introduction of the vaccination against hepatitis B and rubella.

World Health Organization (WHO) in Morocco, Raouf Benammar, told Le Matin du Sahara et du Maghreb daily that despite limited resources Morocco holds a "very honorable position" at the international level that is above even richer countries.

Benammar said that, for better performance, Morocco needs to integrate its health system in the comprehensive socio-economic development program, noting that Morocco's expenditures in the health field remain beneath WHO requirements.

According to a report released by the WHO on the same occasion, "about 530 000 women a year die in pregnancy or childbirth, more than three million babies are stillborn, more than four million newborns die within the first days or weeks of life, and altogether 10.6 million children a year die before their fifth birthday."

Through the 2005 Word Health Day, WHO aims to raise the awareness of the political organisms about the scale of morbidity and mortality among children and mothers, the sufferings they endure and the consequences of such a plight on the general health and socio-economic development.

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  Morocco needs to ratify WHO tobacco control convention, official   (3/18/2005)

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