[afro-nets] WHO/AFRO: Third Regional Reproductive Health Task Force

[Madeleine Anne Decker <omsdoc@oms-mz.org>]

WHO/AFRO: Third Regional Reproductive Health Task Force
-------------------------------------------------------

Dear friends,

Please find the links to three press releases from WHO/AFRO.

Madeleine Anne Decker
Documentation Officer
WHO Mozambique
mailto:omsdoc@oms-mz.org

--
Studies on interface between hormonal contraception and HIV in-
fection

Two major studies on the interface between the use of hormonal
contraception and HIV infection are currently being finalized
and will be released in early 2005, a South African researcher
in Reproductive Health and HIV, Prof. Helen Rees, told the ongo-
ing third meeting of the African Reproductive Health Task Force
in Harare, Zimbabwe. Depending on the results (of the studies),
there may be a need to have an urgent consultation in Geneva to
develop an evidence-based response to the findings, followed by
a consultation of scientists, senior clinicians, policy makers
and programme managers in the WHO African Region
http://www.afro.who.int/press/2004/pr20041006.html


Countries urged to allocate more resources to reproductive
health programmes

The third meeting of the African Reproductive Health Task Force
was officially opened Tuesday in Harare, Zimbabwe, with a call
on African countries and the international community at large to
allocate more resources to reproductive health programmes with a
view to stemming the tide of maternal and child deaths. African
health policies, including global health policies, have for a
long time overlooked the need to allocate adequate resources to
reproductive health programmes.and this has contributed to the
massive numbers of maternal and newborn deaths", Zimbabwe's Min-
ister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr David Parirenyatwa, told
the meeting.
http://www.afro.who.int/press/2004/pr20041005.html


WHO says maternal mortality is a "silent emergency"

Maternal mortality is a "silent emergency" claiming the lives of
millions of African women and reversing otherwise impressive
post-independence socioeconomic gains recorded in countries in
the African Region, the World Health Organization Regional Of-
fice (AFRO) for Africa said on Tuesday. "Every minute, one woman
dies due to pregnancy- or child birth-related causes. This
translates into 1,500 women dying everyday, or the equivalent of
five 747 jumbo jets crashing daily and killing all passengers
and crew"' said Dr Doyin Oluwole, Director of the Division of
Family and Reproductive Health at AFRO.
http://www.afro.who.int/press/2004/pr2004100502.html