Female Genital Mutilation - A Catalyst for High Maternal Mortality Rates

According to WHO (2014), Female Genital Multilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM also comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. In Kenya FGM is outlawed and Kenya has duly signed laws with the international community outlawing the same.
Recently women from Kajiado Constituency requested the government to have FGM made legal so as to allow for the culture to continue. This women constitute the Maasai community - one of the communities that still practice FGM. After the request was made, a debate went into parliament with most of the MPs denying the request all except one Jimmy Angwenyi MP of Kitutu Chache North. He wnet ahead to make his argument bu saying "Madam Speaker, we should not criminalize our cultures as Africans yet this House has not implemented any law to criminalize gayism borrowed from foreign countries. These gays are freely and openly demonstrating for their rights. FGM should not be criminalized because we in Kisii allow only for a small cut for our girls" (Kisika, 2014).
Kenya currently high maternal rates of 360 deaths per 100,000 have increased in the last one year rather than declining and are a source of concern. We are currently placed at position 30 of having the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. One of the long term risks of FGM is an increased risk of childbirth complications and newborn deaths. The country needs to focus more on practices that will bring about the well being of the woman who is the basic foundation of any community. FGM is one of the culprits that needs to curbed once and for all and remove such backward thoughts as harbored by Jimmy Angwenyi.

Sources:

Kisika, S., 2014. MP finds himself in trouble for supporting FGM. [Online]
Available at: http://m.news24.com/kenya/MyNews24/MP-finds-himself-in-trouble-for-supporting-FGM-20140619
[Accessed 20 June 2014].

World Health Organization, 2014. Fact Sheets N°241. [Online]
Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/
[Accessed 20 June 2014].

Why did Safar Banu Die?

Today I read a story about Safar Banu. A 43 year old woman who had given birth to 9 children previously without the help of a clinic or ever visiting a clinic. She was too busy and basically could not afford to visit the clinic. Safar wanted to use Contraceptives but her husband threatened to divorce her if she did. When she found out she was pregnant a 10th time, she cried. The husband had a great of faith in Gopal Daktar the local healer. The birth was very difficult as Safar had suffered an Anaemic condition with was unrecognised throughout her pregnancy. After many complications Safar Banu died 8 days later. The facts from this case?

• The husband became aware too late of the wife's critical state by refusing to listen to the midwife
• Safar worked really hard and ate only after her husband and sons had eaten
• She drank only water when there was no rice
• When she was ill she went to her mother-a poor woman herself- for help
• The husband only thought of his illness not his wife's

After reading this story my heart cried out for Safar and so many other women. All i could ask was why. Whose fault was it? Was it Safar's? the husbands? The Daktar's? The Government?
Too many questions to be asked and no answers.


Sourced: White, A. C., Merrick, T. W., Yazbeck, A. S. (2006). Reproductive Health: The Missing Millennium Development Goal. Washington, DC: The World Bank.

Maternal Health and ICT

Did you know that maternal mortality rates (MMR) are an issue of concern and that Kenya is not going to be achieving the millennium development goal five (MDG5). About 360 women in 2010 out of 100,000 women died due to pregnancy related complications in Kenya. This figure has risen and is currently headed to about 500 women dying each year due to pregnancy complications. I do understand that we are a developing country with our own challenges but how do we tackle this problem?
The government is indeed taking this problem seriously and recently a bill was passed for free maternity services throughout the country and indeed this is a step in the right direction. Dr Boniface Chitayi does agree and states that 'the promise of free maternity services and free health services at the health centre and dispensary level is a huge boost to the march towards universal health access.' (Chitayi, 2013)
Will women really take advantage of these services? Will the MMR rates go down? I guess we will find out.



References
Chitayi B., 2013. Kenya: Delivering Free Maternity Is an Uphill Task retrieved from http://allafrica.com/stories/201304171448.html on 26th June 2013