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| By: Alieu Jallow
The rate at which maternal mortality is on the increase in the Gambia is becoming scary and terrifying if urgent action is not taken to remedy the dilapidated health system especially the labour unit. Within two weeks seven Mothers died at the labour unit due to lack of proper healthcare system. In the wake of this worrying trend, Gambian Women Live Matters, a movement initiated in the wake of the rise in maternal and infant mortality held a press conference on Wednesday 30th December 2020, to draw the attention of authorities to the recent mortality. Delivering the statement on behalf of the movement, Madam Sally Jobe call for policies and programs that would permit pregnant mothers to stay in hospitals for at least two days if they choose to in cases faced with complicated births. She cited cases of women who lost their lives shortly after birth due to postpartum hemorrhaging, . The cases includes a mother who died giving birth to triplets and another giving birth to twins. Narrating his ordeal, Mr. Ebriama Darboe, the father of the triplets, expressed his sadness over the loss of his beloved wife and the triplets she left behind. Darboe based his lost on fate, but also blamed the nurses for carelessness and the poor health system. Mr. Darboe thanked Mbaling Cham and Sheikh Touray for rendering support to the triplets. Ebriama Y. Sambou, an affected family member blamed nurses at Brikama Health Centre for lack of experience causing the death of his sister.  The Women Live Matters Movement has formed an advocacy group to demand and lobby for;(1) Provision of adequate financing of the health sector. 2) Adequate supply of drugs and blood. 3) Provision of standard healthcare services in all regions. 4) Improve transport and communication networks. 5) Establish a joint commission to regulate and monitor all activities of private and public health centres or hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies in providing safety, effective and quality healthcare.
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