The North West province has converted 10 ambulances into well equipped Obstetric ambulances to exclusively transport pregnant women.  Procured and converted at a cost of R5.9 million, the obstetric will help eliminate home deliveries and births in transit, Premier Thandi Modise, said during the delivery of her State of the Province Address in Mahikeng on Friday. 

The maternal mortality ratio has been reduced from 189/100 000 live births to 181/100 000 live births.  The province had also seen a decrease in the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) from 40 deaths per 1 000 live births in 2009, to 30 deaths per 1 000 live births in 2011, Premier Modise said. 

Modise said: “The figures are expected to decline drastically following the establishment of 16 maternity waiting homes to bring pregnant women closer to birthing places two weeks prior to delivery. The 16 maternity waiting homes were established at a cost of R4 million.”

The province also established four milks bank at Potchefstroom, Joe Morolong, Mahikeng and Job Shimakana Tabane Hospitals to cater for mothers who are unable to breastfeed for health reasons.

“We have recorded a decrease in Mother to Child Transmission of HIV from 8.5% in 2008, to 2.7% in 2013. The caregivers have increased from 5 330 active care givers appointed in 2009 to 6439 in 2013.

“This has improved the frequency of house visit to 1 148 940 for the whole 3013,” Premier Modise said. 

She announced that the province had implemented the first phase of the National Health Insurance, and also seen the implementation of Primary Health Care Re-engineering.-TDN
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