• Medipark safe motherhood campaign back on
Tackling infant and maternal mortality
Women undergo various physiological changes during pregnancy, and these changes also affect the cardiovascular system, cardialogist Dr Kalovoto Chiweza said.
Tuyeimo HaidulaONGWEDIVA
After a two-year break, Ongwediva Medipark Private Hospital is once again hosting its ‘Safe Motherhood’ initiative.
According to the hospital’s marketing and communication coordinator Katarina Elago, the campaign, which could not be held since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, will this year focus on cardiac disease in pregnancy, amongst other things.
This, she said, is in line with government’s efforts in tackling infant and maternal mortality. The hospital will set up free screening camps at Oshakati State Hospital on 12 May and Onandjokwe State Hospital on 19 May from 09:00 and to 16:00, while additional treatment and donations of goodies will also be available.
The campaign is open to all pregnant mothers with hypertension, current or previous history of peripartum cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension. Other conditions include irregular heartbeats, aortic diseases and blood clots.
The initiative, which started in 2016, focuses on the health of expectant mothers and their unborn babies with the aim to improve pregnancy outcomes as Namibia continues to experience a large number of newborns with low birth weight, which contributes to high infant mortality rates. First Lady Monica Geingos is the patron.
Cornerstone of
safe motherhood
Dr Kalovoto Chiweza, a cardiologist at Ongwediva Medipark, said during pregnancy, women undergo various physiological changes. These changes also affect the cardiovascular system.
“In known cases of cardiovascular diseases, physiological changes in pregnancy may aggravate the underlying heart diseases. Some of the stresses that a pregnant woman may experience may include low haemoglobin and increased blood volume. Maternal heart disease has been described as one of the many factors that may threaten safe motherhood,” he said.
Pregnancy is complicated by maternal diseases in 1 to 4% of cases, he said, adding that prompt and timely identification and treatment of pregnancy associated ailments is the cornerstone of safe motherhood.
[email protected]
After a two-year break, Ongwediva Medipark Private Hospital is once again hosting its ‘Safe Motherhood’ initiative.
According to the hospital’s marketing and communication coordinator Katarina Elago, the campaign, which could not be held since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, will this year focus on cardiac disease in pregnancy, amongst other things.
This, she said, is in line with government’s efforts in tackling infant and maternal mortality. The hospital will set up free screening camps at Oshakati State Hospital on 12 May and Onandjokwe State Hospital on 19 May from 09:00 and to 16:00, while additional treatment and donations of goodies will also be available.
The campaign is open to all pregnant mothers with hypertension, current or previous history of peripartum cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, congenital heart disease and pulmonary hypertension. Other conditions include irregular heartbeats, aortic diseases and blood clots.
The initiative, which started in 2016, focuses on the health of expectant mothers and their unborn babies with the aim to improve pregnancy outcomes as Namibia continues to experience a large number of newborns with low birth weight, which contributes to high infant mortality rates. First Lady Monica Geingos is the patron.
Cornerstone of
safe motherhood
Dr Kalovoto Chiweza, a cardiologist at Ongwediva Medipark, said during pregnancy, women undergo various physiological changes. These changes also affect the cardiovascular system.
“In known cases of cardiovascular diseases, physiological changes in pregnancy may aggravate the underlying heart diseases. Some of the stresses that a pregnant woman may experience may include low haemoglobin and increased blood volume. Maternal heart disease has been described as one of the many factors that may threaten safe motherhood,” he said.
Pregnancy is complicated by maternal diseases in 1 to 4% of cases, he said, adding that prompt and timely identification and treatment of pregnancy associated ailments is the cornerstone of safe motherhood.
[email protected]
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