The crisis has also diverted critical resources away from pregnant women, who already faced limited access to adequate health care. For example, in Bong, one of the most populous counties, the ambulance used for obstetric emergencies is now being used for the Ebola response. And the surgical and emergency departments at JFK Hospital, one of the countrys major referral hospitals, are closed.
As a result of the outbreak, there has been an increase in pregnant women dying from preventable causes, including ante-partum and post-partum haemorrhage, ruptured uterus, as well as hypertensive disease, said Dr. Mulbah.