Puntland's Ministry of Planning, Economic Development & International Cooperation's (MOPEDIC) NEWS
Puntland launches its first Health and Demographic Survey; real time data on the health and lives of Puntland women and children, including its nomadic communities
The report reveals that gains have been made in important areas:
βͺ For the first time, Puntland has a Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) indicator (622 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births).
βͺ Pregnant women who attended ANC at least four times increased from 3.3 percent in 2011 to 6.0 percent.
βͺ The health facility deliveries have increased from 13 percent in 2011 to 19 percent.
βͺ Early marriageβknown to deprive women of opportunities to reach their full potentialβhas reduced for women married by age 18, from 38 percent in 2011 to 23 percent.
βͺ About two out of three Puntland households (66 percent) own simple mobile phones, and around 59 percent of nomadic households own simple mobile telephones with access to FM radio, opening doors to endless opportunities for the people
βͺ Puntland women are empowered to make financial choicesβnine out of ten women decide on how their cash earnings are spent, either individually or jointly with their husbands, and around six out of ten women of childbearing age use their phones for financial transactions.
The PLHDS report sheds light on areas that need interventions for women and children to lead better lives. The results show that around one in five births (19 percent) was delivered in a health facility (for births delivered in the five years preceding the survey), and an overwhelming majority of birthsβaround eight out of 10 (81 percent)βwere delivered at home. Additionally, only one out of three births (33 percent) were delivered with the assistance of a skilled health care provider and 73 percent of women did not make antenatal visits during their most recent pregnancy in the five years prior to the survey. According to Puntland women aged 15-49, the reasons for their low uptake of health care during pregnancy and child delivery include lack of money, long distances to health facilities, reluctance of spouses to accompany women to the health facility and the need for women to obtain permission from family members before seeking health services.
The PLHDS report further unveils that the fertility rate remain relatively highβthe total fertility rate for Puntland is 6.8 children per womanβwhich would impact planning for the coming years. In addition, female circumcision is still widely practiced across the countryβ99 percent of women have been circumcised. Although Puntland communities are seen to be moving towards practising the intermediate and mild Sunni forms of circumcision, survey results show that the severe Pharaonic form is still the most common form being practised, with 59 percent of women having undergone this type of circumcision.
The survey highlights the need for support for nomadic populations in accessing health and other social services. For instance, births to women in urban areas are more likely to be protected against neonatal tetanus than births to women in nomadic areas, and more nomadic women delay antenatal care to the last trimester compared to women from urban and rural settings. Three percent of nomadic women reported they made their first ante-natal care visit within the first four months, as compared to 16 percent and 10 percent of women in urban and rural households, respectively.
Puntland launches its first Health and Demographic Survey; real time data on the health and lives of Puntland women and children, including its nomadic communities
The report reveals that gains have been made in important areas:
βͺ For the first time, Puntland has a Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) indicator (622 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births).
βͺ Pregnant women who attended ANC at least four times increased from 3.3 percent in 2011 to 6.0 percent.
βͺ The health facility deliveries have increased from 13 percent in 2011 to 19 percent.
βͺ Early marriageβknown to deprive women of opportunities to reach their full potentialβhas reduced for women married by age 18, from 38 percent in 2011 to 23 percent.
βͺ About two out of three Puntland households (66 percent) own simple mobile phones, and around 59 percent of nomadic households own simple mobile telephones with access to FM radio, opening doors to endless opportunities for the people
βͺ Puntland women are empowered to make financial choicesβnine out of ten women decide on how their cash earnings are spent, either individually or jointly with their husbands, and around six out of ten women of childbearing age use their phones for financial transactions.
The PLHDS report sheds light on areas that need interventions for women and children to lead better lives. The results show that around one in five births (19 percent) was delivered in a health facility (for births delivered in the five years preceding the survey), and an overwhelming majority of birthsβaround eight out of 10 (81 percent)βwere delivered at home. Additionally, only one out of three births (33 percent) were delivered with the assistance of a skilled health care provider and 73 percent of women did not make antenatal visits during their most recent pregnancy in the five years prior to the survey. According to Puntland women aged 15-49, the reasons for their low uptake of health care during pregnancy and child delivery include lack of money, long distances to health facilities, reluctance of spouses to accompany women to the health facility and the need for women to obtain permission from family members before seeking health services.
The PLHDS report further unveils that the fertility rate remain relatively highβthe total fertility rate for Puntland is 6.8 children per womanβwhich would impact planning for the coming years. In addition, female circumcision is still widely practiced across the countryβ99 percent of women have been circumcised. Although Puntland communities are seen to be moving towards practising the intermediate and mild Sunni forms of circumcision, survey results show that the severe Pharaonic form is still the most common form being practised, with 59 percent of women having undergone this type of circumcision.
The survey highlights the need for support for nomadic populations in accessing health and other social services. For instance, births to women in urban areas are more likely to be protected against neonatal tetanus than births to women in nomadic areas, and more nomadic women delay antenatal care to the last trimester compared to women from urban and rural settings. Three percent of nomadic women reported they made their first ante-natal care visit within the first four months, as compared to 16 percent and 10 percent of women in urban and rural households, respectively.
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