380,000 pregnant women in Somalia at risk as drought disrupts health services

The drought currently pummelling Horn of Africa countries may have hurt Somalia more with at least 380,000 pregnant women, cutting them off from life-saving health care services.

The figures are contained in an end-year bulletin by the United Nations agency for sexual and reproductive health (UNFPA) in Somalia, which says up to 2 million women in general have been affected by the ongoing drought in the country.

The country, which has a population of 16 million, has been the most affected by the ongoing drought, according to estimates by UN agencies, with figures showing at least 7.8 million people have had their livelihoods broken or affected in one or more ways from the drought.

Some 7.1 million of them have faced acute food insecurity with 214,000 of these currently facing famine-like conditions.

These people are also distributed in areas where al-Shabaab have held the ground in the past. But Bay and Banadir regions have recorded high malnutrition rates.

In the statement, Niyi Ojuolape, the UNFPA Country Representative to Somalia, said the problem of drought now runs beyond food and water as pregnant women and other groups in need of regular care have been cut off.

“Across Somalia, approximately 2 million women of reproductive age have been affected, including more than 380,000 who are currently pregnant and in need of life-saving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services and information,” he said on Saturday.

“Women and girls face increased risks of gender-based violence (GBV) due to multiple displacements, overcrowded and poorly-lit shelters and toilets in camps, and the need to travel long distances for necessities such as water, food, and animal feed.”

In Somalia, the daily problem has been insecurity, which had already pushed people into camps. The drought, which has hit the country for three consecutive seasons worsened the situation, for women. Somalia has one of the most prevalent female genital mutilation incidents with nine in ten women reporting to have undergone it.

With drought, UNFPA lamented communities have coped by marrying off their young girls to survive. Those married off, however, still face sexual abuse and malnutrition removing them from access to pooled reproductive health services provided by UNFPA and the local authorities.

“Pregnant women who are displaced or forced to relocate are at a higher risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, including the risk of haemorrhaging after giving birth which can be fatal if not treated promptly in a hospital,” the UNFPA chief said.

“Improved access and availability of health services, including rights-based family planning services, can help women and girls with timely treatment, referrals, and birth-spacing options.”

UNFPA said it has appealed for $63.1 million funding to help provide essential services including needs of displaced women.

The agency often works with local authorities and other UN agencies to provide first-response for reproductive health and to victims of gender-based violence. When communities are displaced further from their usual habitats, it needs more outreach services for maternal health but to also help women plan their families especially in the season of economic hardships.

UNFPA said the immediate solution will be more collaboration with other agencies involved in humanitarian response with the Somali government.

But more help may be required to support its Drought Response Operational Plan.