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Thandeka Moyo- Ndlovu, Health Reporter

MPILO Central Hospital in Bulawayo is likely to improve maternal health service delivery following the installation of new theatre lights yesterday.

The institution had run with faulty lights for more than five years which in turn compromised the service rendered to expecting mothers and new born children.

Mpilo acting chief executive officer Dr Solwayo Ngwenya confirmed the installation yesterday saying the development was going to lower maternal deaths in the hospital which mainly caters for Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North and South provinces.

He said even during the Covid-19 pandemic, the hospital was delivering an average of 25 babies per day.

“For many years, women delivering at Mpilo have been getting substandard lighting as our lights where faulty. This installation for our maternity theatre lights will help in giving proper care to our women and children,” said Dr Ngwenya.

“This is quite a big development on our part after years of trying to purchase these.  This will help in our aim to reduce maternal and neo-natal deaths.”

He said the care of pregnant women was still priority to the institution even during Covid-19.

More than 2 400 pregnant women die in Zimbabwe annually due to over-bleeding, abortion and poverty according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The country’s maternal mortality rate remains at 640 per 100 000 births according to the latest Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey which ranks it number five in the world.

According to UNFPA, haemorrhage which is basically bleeding remains the number one cause of maternal deaths at 29 percent followed by infections which account for 14 percent of the deaths.

@thamamoe