MEC concerned about poor outcomes in reproductive health
Natalspruit District Hospital performed 909 abortions between January and August 2015.
The Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, is deeply concerned with the devastating impact caused by poor outcomes in reproductive and sexual health.
Reproductive health complications are among the leading causes of death and disability among women, especially young women.
There is a tendency to ignore the socio-economic factors that prevent young women from making healthy decisions and that contribute to their vulnerability to poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes, exposure to HIV, sexual violence and undesired or unsafe pregnancy.
Many young people are also denied access to information and support that would enable them to protect their own sexual and reproductive health.
The MEC believes that the causes are complex and involve an array of individual, socio-economic and health system factors, but many of the results that we witness are largely preventable.
“Sexual and reproductive rights are human rights that were fought for and won through struggle of our forbearers,” said Mahlangu.
The MEC was reflecting on some of the key challenges that her department continues to face and requires to rally the whole society in preventing the devastating effects they cause.
She said, “The first step is to inspire families and communities to promote health seeking behaviour from an early age.
Her message is summed in the following four key messages.
“First, when a woman misses her period, she must be encouraged to visit the nearest clinic.
“Secondly, women who are raped, and become pregnant as a result, must seek health advice immediately so as to be put on preventative post-exposure prophylaxis within 72 hours.
“Thirdly, the Choice of Termination of Pregnancy (CToP) empowers women to use their unassailable reproductive right and choice to obtain the termination of a pregnancy (ToP) upon request in the first twelve (12) weeks of pregnancy.”
It is not a contraceptive
On the February 1, 1997 the Choice of Termination of Pregnancy (CToP) became law in South Africa.
The Gauteng Department of Health’s Thelle Mogoerane (formerly New Natalspruit) District Hospital performed 909 ToPs between January and August 2015.
“We believe every pregnancy must be planned and wanted, but those who fall pregnant unplanned, they must seek medical advice and counsel before making their decision.
“Once you know you are pregnant visit the nearest clinic so as to be checked and be managed to ensure that you deliver a healthy baby.
“Should you be HIV Positive, necessary treatments are available to save both the mother and child,” Mahlangu said.
She said, “The 6th Saving Mothers report has identified that in 2011-2013, the ‘big five’ causes of maternal deaths were non-pregnancy related infections (34.7%, mainly deaths due to HIV infection complicated by tuberculosis (TB), PCP and pneumonia), obstetric haemorrhage (15.8%), complications of hypertension in pregnancy (14.8%), medical and surgical disorders (11.4%) and pregnancy related sepsis (9.5%, includes septic miscarriage and puerperal sepsis).
“These five account for 86.2% of maternal deaths,”
“Bleeding at or after caesarean section was responsible for a third of obstetric haemorrhage deaths.
“We want to encourage a social discussion about these issues; at home, in churches, at work and places where we socialise so that we could give back the confidence that is associated with being a woman and also to help girls make healthy choices about their reproductive health rights,” Mahlangu said.
