Africa must increase domestic health financing to end preventable maternal deaths – UNFPA

Despite the challenges, Dr Hounton expressed confidence that African countries could significantly reduce maternal mortality if governments strengthened domestic financing, improved accountability and ensured equitable access to quality healthcare services.

The Regional Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for West and Central Africa, Dr Sennen Hounton, has called on African governments to increase domestic investment in healthcare, warning that inadequate and unsustainable financing remains a major obstacle to ending preventable maternal deaths across the continent.

Speaking during a press conference on the sidelines of the African Union Extraordinary Summit on Health Financing in Accra on Wednesday, July 23, Dr Hounton said governments have demonstrated political commitment to tackling maternal mortality, but persistent funding gaps and weaknesses within health systems continue to undermine progress.