Health Sector Support Project: Component for Reduction in Maternal Mortality
Description:Maternal mortality is a major problem in Cambodia. The Cambodian District Health System estimates the Maternal Mortality Ratio to be 437 per 100,000 live births. This is ten times the ratio of neighbouring Thailand and four times the ratio of Vietnam. The major causes of maternal death include haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders, obstructed labour, infection, and unsafe abortion. These are exacerbated by poverty, high fertility rates and low utilization of contraceptive methods. Cambodia’s total fertility rate is dropping rapidly, currently at 4.5, however it remains relatively high. Cambodia has one of the lowest contraceptive prevalence rates for modern methods in Asia (19%), but high reported unmet need (33%). Unmet need is especially high among rural women.
The purpose of this program is to increase the utilisation of sustainable quality and affordable reproductive and maternal health services by poor women in Cambodia. The supplier will work to improve the capacity of the Ministry of Health to provide, and to increase access to, responsive high quality reproductive health services to poor women, including safe abortion, in line with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) Abortion Law (1997), and longer-term family planning interventions (VSC and IUD Insertions), in order to reduce maternal mortality in Cambodia.
AIHI was sub-contracted by Options for the DFID funded Reduction in Maternal Mortality Program (RMMP) in Cambodia.
Country/Region: Cambodia
Funding Agencies: DFID
Partner Organisations:Options Consultancy Services Limited
Project duration: February 2007
Key Nossal Staff: John Grundy