Luanda – The Angolan Health minister, José Van-Dúnem, said Friday in Luanda that since 2005 the pre-natal coverage has been recording a positive trend, after risen from 44 percent in 2005 to 63 in 2008 and to 68 in 2009.

 
The minister added that there has been a rise in births in institutions, with deliveries rising from 25 percent in 2005 to 36 in 2009, although most of them take place out of health units, probably because of poor coverage of the health services in hard access localities, coupled with little information on the part of the populations.

Another positive indicator mentioned by the minister has to do with the number o women being assisted, at least once during pregnancy, by qualified personnel. The percentage has moved from 45 percent in 2001 up to 48 in 2009. 

 
The intermittent and preventive treatment of malaria with “Fansidar” to prevent it during pregnancy has been improving as well since 2007, rising from four percent to 77.

 
On the other hand, the minister spoke of an increment of programmes to fight Hiv/Aids in the country, with a great involvement of the authorities.

 
There are 496 counselling and testing centres in the country. In 2009 alone, 234 services were created. 76 of them were part of pre-natal consultation, mainly for mother to child prevention.

To the minister, the proclamation of the National Committee on Maternal Death whose action will enable new progresses in the reduction of maternal mortality rate, is an important landmark in the implementation of outlined strategies.