Maternal health action Zambia -MHAZ

09/04/2026

April is C-section Awareness Month.

And something that doesn’t get said out loud enough

some women didn’t just give birth…

they were cut open,
layer by layer,
awake,
hearing the first cry of their baby
while their bodies were still being stitched back together.

This wasn’t the “easy way out.”
There is nothing easy
about muscles being separated,
organs moved,
a body opened
so a child can live.

There is nothing easy
about trying to sit up
when it feels like your entire core is on fire.

Nothing easy
about holding a baby
while an incision pulls,
burns,
reminds you with every breath
what was just survived.

Some women walked into an operating room
and trusted strangers
with both lives in that moment.

Some didn’t get the birth they imagined.
Some didn’t get a choice at all.

But they still became mothers
in the middle of fear,
in the middle of bright lights and machines,
in the middle of a surgery
people love to minimize.

And then they went home
expected to heal,
to care for a newborn,
to act like they weren’t recovering
from major abdominal surgery.

So no
it’s not the easy way.

It’s strength.
It’s sacrifice.
It’s survival.

A C-section is birth.
A scar is proof.
And every woman who carries one
deserves to be seen
for what she truly is

strong in a way
that changed her forever.

08/03/2026

On International Women’s Day, Maternal Health Action Zambia (MHAZ) joins the global community in celebrating women while emphasizing the importance of maternal health. MHAZ works to support government efforts by improving access to maternal, newborn, and child health services, particularly for vulnerable and underserved communities in Zambia.
Through community engagement, awareness creation, and the use of innovation and information technologies, MHAZ empowers women with information on pregnancy, childbirth, family planning, and child health so they can make informed decisions about their health and the well-being of their families.
As we commemorate International Women’s Day, MHAZ reaffirms its commitment to advocating for safe motherhood, quality maternal healthcare, and stronger community participation, ensuring that every woman has the opportunity for a safe pregnancy and healthy life.

04/02/2026

It's the safest way to protect both mother and child.♥️♥️♥️

When medical personnel advise that a C-section is the safest option to protect both mother and baby, it is important to trust their guidance. A C-section can prevent maternal deaths and neonatal deaths when complications arise during labour.

Delivering through a C-section does not make a woman any less of a woman. It is a life-saving medical procedure.

Make informed and timely decisions that protect your life and the life of your unborn baby.
Ministry of Health Zambia

24/11/2025

Tune in to Sky FM tomorrow, 25th November, from 08:00 to 09:00 hours as we discuss domestic financing for strengthening Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS)—a key step in ensuring that every Zambian has a legal identity through universal birth registration and accurate documentation of deaths.

Listen on the following frequencies:

Monze: 89.7 MHz

Choma: 88.7 or 88.9 MHz

Livingstone: 87.7 MHz

Lusaka: 88.5 MHz

Zimba: 88.3 MHz

You can also listen live via Radio Garden.

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21/09/2025

A Church leader has urged the Zambian Government to boost domestic funding and digitalize Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) to improve birth and death registration, especially in rural areas. He stressed that bringing services closer to communities would ensure all citizens are recognized, access essential services, and support national development.

18/09/2025

We appeal to the Government of Zambia to increase domestic funding for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) and urge Members of Parliament to champion motions prioritizing CRVS digitalization. Strengthened financial commitment will improve the efficiency, accuracy, and accessibility of birth and death registration, bring services closer to communities through digital platforms, and provide reliable data for planning and service delivery. Investing in CRVS digitalization will enhance transparency, accountability, and sustainable development while ensuring no Zambian is left behind.

04/09/2025

Did you know that children born in Zambia but have parents who are not zambian are eligible to acquire a birth certificate. Simply put, they are Zambians. You have heard, they are Zambians!!!!

01/09/2025

This is the Zambia we want. No woman should die while giving life. Kudos to mwalala rural health centre for going 12 years flat without recording any Maternal death.👏👏👏👏

29/08/2025

Mwansabombwe mother escapes death after complicated delivery!

A 28-year-old woman of Mwansabombwe narrowly survived life-threatening childbirth complications after going into labour without ever attending a single antenatal clinic.

Health officials said the mother, who was in advanced labour, developed dangerous complications that put both her life and that of her baby at risk. Quick intervention by the Zambia Flying Doctor Service helped avert tragedy.

The patient, referred from Salanga Rural Health Clinic to Ng’anga Bilonda, was found to have cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD) a condition where the baby’s head is too large to pass safely through the mother’s pelvis. Without urgent surgical intervention, both mother and child would not have survived.

Dr. Musonda Mutale and her surgical team immediately performed an emergency caesarean section, successfully delivering a healthy baby weighing 3.7 kilograms. The newborn showed post-term features, confirming the pregnancy had extended well beyond 40 weeks. Both mother and baby are now in stable condition and recovering.

Dr. Mutale expressed concern about the growing number of expectant mothers who avoid antenatal visits, stressing that many complications remain undetected until emergencies occur.

“Regular pregnancy check-ups are vital. They allow health professionals to detect risks early and plan safe deliveries. Without them, mothers and babies face unnecessary, life-threatening emergencies,” she said.

16/08/2025

This can only be curbed if we make a birth certificate as a primary document. The number issued at birth should be the same number on NRC and it ends being on the death certificate to again avoid foreigners from going to cemeteries to get names to obtain NRCs.