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Dr Gibson Mhlanga

Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
Zimbabwe continues to make progress in improving maternal, child and general health throughout the country, the preliminary Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) results have revealed.

The survey results released in Harare on Friday showed that while still high, the country’s maternal and child health, adolescent sexual reproductive health, family planning and general knowledge on HIV and Aids has greatly improved in the last five years.

ZDHS findings show that maternal mortality has declined to 651 deaths in every 100 000 deliveries from 960 deaths in every 100 000 live births recorded in the 2010-2011 survey. This translates to an average of seven deaths per day.

The number of women who deliver with assistance from a skilled birth attendant has also increased from 66,2 percent to 78 percent while the figure of women who visit health facilities as required during pregnancy has also increased from 64,8 percent to 75,7 percent in the past five years.

Although the number of children who were vaccinated in line with the recommended child health practice has improved with an average of 73 percent throughout the country, the ZDHS showed that at least one in every 15 children, who were born in the last five years, died before reaching their fifth birthday.

It also showed that 36 percent of children under five years of age were stunted, nine percent of which were severe.

Children who are stunted are too short for their age.

An additional four percent of all children in the same age group were also wasted while 10 percent were underweight.

Wasting refers to children who are too thin for their age.

The survey also showed that only 48 percent of children below the age of six months were exclusively breastfed.

ZDHS also reported that there was a 14 percent increase in the use of modern contraceptives methods among married women and a 25 percent increase among young girls between the ages of 15 and 19.

On HIV and Aids, the report showed a 50 percent increase in the number of people getting tested — both women and men.

Adolescent fertility remained high among young girls with nearly one in 10 young girls giving birth every year while one in three women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15.

Commenting on the statistics, Health and Child Care Acting Secretary Dr Gibson Mhlanga said data was vital for planning and implementation of health programmes.

In a speech read on his behalf by director for epidemiology and disease control Dr Portia Manangazira, Dr Mhlanga said the results provide the sector with a better picture of health in the country.

“This reporting of community events completes our picture on the health status of the citizenry, and therefore allows us to plan effectively towards our mandate of keeping the population of Zimbabwe in good health,” said Dr Mhlanga.

Speaking at the same occasion, UNFPA country representative Mr Cheikh Tidiane Cisse commended the country for continuing to make progress in reducing the burden of some global health challenges in the country but said there was need to address areas that were still lagging behind.

Mr Cisse said the ZDHS results further provide the country with an opportunity to build bigger and better programmes.

“We should celebrate these achievements and build on them.

“However, in areas where results are still not good, there is need for us to invest more.

“I hope this launch can help us reflect where to invest in more and where gains need to be consolidated,” said Mr Cisse.

This survey is the sixth of its kind to be conducted by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency.

Zimstat director general Mr Mutasa Dzinotizei said the current survey was conducted between July and December 2015 with financial support from Government and some development partners.

He said the final report is expected to be released in October this year.