Johannesburg - The number of mothers dying during child births at Gauteng hospitals remains high and drastic steps need to be taken to address the situation, provincial Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu said on Tuesday.
She said a total of 311 mothers died in Gauteng during child birth last year, representing a rate of 154 deaths per 100 000 live births.
The MEC blamed HIV and AIDS as among the causes of the deaths. "This (HIV) accounted for nearly half of all the deaths...other causes are bleeding during and after birth and preexisting medical conditions such as heart disease," she said at a media briefing.
The department has stepped up its delivery of antiretroviral therapy to all women with a CD4 count of 350 or less or with AIDS defining symptoms irrespective of the CD4 count.
Meanwhile, Mahlangu said the Gauteng Provincial Government would be compiling a report on the number of deaths registered at provincial hospitals that could partly be attributed to the two-week public sector strike
She said the report was necessary to compare the number of deaths on a normal daily basis and during the period of the strike.
"I have seen so many deaths during this strike and I am not saying all of them were caused by the action but we need to do some kind of comparison to determine the impact of the strike on our hospitals," Mahlangu said.
She once again thanked the "good Samaritans" who responded positively to assist hospitals during the strike. "We are really looking forward to an end to the strike because it has real been a burden to the health system as nurses and doctors remain a backbone to our hospitals," she said.
All deaths were also being monitored from head office and every incident would be fully investigated.
