Cameroon gynaecologists and obstetricians unite to combat maternal mortality

Gynaecologists and obstetricians in Cameroon have held their 32nd Congress with a focus on devising strategies aimed at reducing the country’s alarmingly high maternal mortality rate.

Recent statistics from the Ministry of Public Health reveal a concerning figure: out of 20,000 births recorded in Cameroon, there are 416 reported cases of maternal deaths.

This reality has spurred gynecologists and obstetricians into action, convening under the theme, “Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Sub-Saharan Africa: Between Tradition and Modernity.”

Prof. Robert Leke, the President Emeritus of the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Cameroon (SOGOC), emphasised the importance of integrating both tradition and modernity in efforts to combat maternal mortality.

“Modernity has to be associated with tradition, but not laying too much emphasis on one only,” he said.

“In order to reduce maternal mortality as fast as we can, we need to strike a balance between the two.”

Over the course of the three-day Congress, attended by nearly 600 participants from 15 African countries, France, and South Africa, Professor Louis Richard Njock, the Secretary-General at the Ministry of Public Health, urged healthcare professionals to translate their discussions into concrete actions.

He emphasised the importance of implementing collective strategies to support government decision-making processes.

Professor Leke echoed this sentiment, stating, “It is not one single strategy that can reduce maternal mortality. We have to associate several strategies with training, practice, and protocols; it has to be multifaceted to reduce mortality.”

Gynecologists at the Congress highlighted the need to address the three delays that contribute to maternal mortality: delay in seeking care, delay in reaching care and delay in receiving care.

Dr. Eko Filbert, Second Vice President of SOGOC, emphasised the need for a collaborative effort to tackle this complex issue.

Established in 1989, the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Cameroon (SOGOC) aims to promote high standards of practice in obstetrics and gynecology in the country.

Its objectives include organising training sessions for reproductive health providers, integrating adolescent reproductive health and menopausal medicine into existing reproductive health systems, promoting collaboration among healthcare professionals, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the practice of gynecology and obstetrics.

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