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Death in Childbirth

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of women who died in childbirth in developing countries in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) country and (b) age group. [57608]

Hilary Benn: Maternal mortality is quite difficult to measure over relatively short time periods, and DFID looks to the World Health Organisation (WHO), with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to collectively produce global estimates. These are supplemented in some countries by information on maternal mortality obtained from demographic and health surveys conducted every four to five years. From the data available, it is estimated that each year 529,000 women die from complications in pregnancy and childbirth, and that 99 per cent. of these deaths take place in poor countries. With the exception of Afghanistan, the countries with the highest maternal mortality ratios are all in Africa. These include Sierra Leone which has a maternal mortality ratio of 2,000 deaths for every 100,000 live births, and Malawi which has a ratio of 1,800 deaths for every 100,000 live births.

DFID is supporting research with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Gates Foundation to improve the way maternal mortality is measured. This will enable poor countries to both better track progress of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of improving maternal mortality and to advocate for more resources for maternal health. Some countries in sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing a reversal of previous gains and without considerably more action this MDG target will not be met.

Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has (a) undertaken and (b) plans to undertake to reduce the number of women who die in childbirth in developing countries; and if he will make a statement. [57609]

Hilary Benn: Over 529,000 women; mostly young, impoverished and vulnerable, die each year as a result of pregnancy or childbirth. Much more effort is needed if the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to lower maternal mortality is to be achieved by 2015.

This is why DFID launched its strategy 'Reducing maternal deaths: Evidence and action' in 2004. The strategy sets out four clear priorities for action:
 
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1. to advocate for change and more attention to maternal health globally and in our country work;

2. to scale-up evidence based interventions, especially the availability of health services that can provide women with the care they need in pregnancy;

3. to address the wider social and economic barriers to progress, such as gender inequality and to get more girls into school; and

4. to develop and apply new knowledge, through support for research on approaches to improve maternal health.

The UK is the only major bilateral donor to have developed a strategy specifically to address 'improving maternal health' (MDG 5). We are also supporting the global Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health which is working to advocate on a much bigger international and national platform.

Improving maternal health depends on functioning health services, and stronger health systems, with the right staff, equipment, drugs and supplies in place and functioning properly. Women also need to be able to access sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning, and care to deal with the causes and consequences of unsafe abortion, as well services to prevent, treat and care for HIV and AIDS. DFID has invested £650 million for health sector support since 2000.

DFID support in Nepal is addressing all these issues. For example, the remote Baglung district hospital is providing emergency obstetric care (Caesareans), with local nurses who have been trained in giving epidural anaesthesia. Blood transfusions are available, transport is possible because bridges have been built and communications (now through mobile phones), is working. Access to obstetric care is increasing, irrespective of the conflict. And that means that not only are women benefiting, but children with fractured limbs and others who need blood transfusions are getting help.

In Malawi, DFID has provided £100 million to an Emergency Human Resource Programme. In a country where two out of three nurse-midwife posts are vacant and where only eight out of 27 districts have a Malawian doctor, there is now early evidence to suggest a positive shift. And importantly, pregnant women are beginning to be able to have HIV tests and some are receiving anti-retroviral drugs.

In 2004–05, DFID spent more than £243 million on bilateral programmes on maternal health (including sexual and reproductive health) and are continuing to ensure that good country plans which highlight maternal health are fully funded. In several countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan and Kenya, DFID is investing strongly in specific safe motherhood programmes with a focus on skilled birth attendants and access to obstetric services. We further support maternal health through multilateral support to our partners in UN agencies, the World Bank and the EU.

Engagements

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) public speeches and (b) official visits he has made since 5 May 2005; and how many letters he sent in this period. [55702]

 
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Hilary Benn: Between 5 May 2005 and 3 March 2006, I gave 29 public speeches, visited 18 countries (not including visits to Europe) and sent 5,536 letters (including 3,149 standard campaign responses approved by myself and issued under my electronic signature).

Lesotho

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment has been made of the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Lesotho. [57377]

Hilary Benn: HIV surveillance among pregnant women is undertaken every second year by the Government of Lesotho. Pregnant women are not representative of the general population, though estimations can be made and they provide a useful indicator of the progress of the epidemic.

Surveillance data from 1991 show infection rates among pregnant women to be in the region of 5 per cent. By 1994 that figure had risen to 20 per cent. By 2003, the last available surveillance data, the prevalence among the general population had risen to 28.9 per cent. Rates of infection among patients with sexually transmitted diseases are much higher—often in the region of 50 per cent. to 60 per cent.

A recently completed Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), conducted in 2005, did do HIV tests among the general population. The highest HIV prevalence rates was for women aged 35–39 years at 43 per cent. and for men aged 30–34 it was 42 per cent. These figures are consistent with data for HIV prevalence rates in South Africa and Swaziland. The final DHS report has not yet been released but a copy of the preliminary report can be made available.

Microfinance

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he last discussed microfinance with his counterparts in the Consultative Group to Assist the Poorest; and if he will make a statement. [58028]

Hilary Benn: The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) is a consortium of 33 public and private development agencies working together to expand access to financial services for the poor (including the poorest) in developing countries. CGAP is a trust fund housed in the World Bank.

While my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I have not personally met with CGAP officials recently, there is a close interaction between CGAP and DFID at international and country
 
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level. My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has been personally involved in promoting DFID work on microfinance and remittances, which has benefited from CGAP's work developing good practices in microfinance and helping build microfinance capacity in bilateral and multilateral donors. The CGAP developed the 'Key Principles of Microfinance' that were endorsed by the G8 leaders at their summit in June 2004.

Recognising the enormous potential for microfinance and the need to set standards, share best practices and improve co-ordination among donors, nine donors including DFID formed CGAP in 1995. DFID chaired the executive committee of CGAP until two years ago, and has contributed £1,250,000 to CGAP core funding since 2001. An additional £250,000 is being considered for the next financial year.

The CGAP's director and senior officials meet with DFID officials on a regular basis, and there is close cooperation in a number of areas. DFID is assisting the CGAP in developing its Africa Strategy at present, which will increase the CGAP's impact and influence in that priority region. DFID and the CGAP are currently collaborating on research into electronic banking ("e-banking" projects) and on social cash transfers. CGAP and DFID jointly funded MicroSave Africa, an Africa-based initiative to improve access of poor people to savings and other financial services. DFID also contributed £960,000 to the joint CGAP-DFID microfinance capacity building programme in Africa during 1998–2003.

Of particular note, DFID initiated and strongly supported (at ministerial level) the CGAP-led donor peer review process among CGAP's member agencies. The peer review process led to microfinance strategies at institutions such as the African Development Bank and the European Union being revamped and improved.

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