92 Mothers, 957 Babies Lost in 2025 as New Figures Reveal Maternal Health Toll in Matabeleland

Peter Moyo

The three Matabeleland provinces recorded a combined 92 maternal deaths and 957 neonatal deaths in 2025, according to figures tabled in the National Assembly by the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora.

The statistics, presented on 15 July 2026 in response to a written question from Hon. Murombedzi, provide a provincial breakdown of maternal and newborn deaths recorded across Zimbabwe during 2025.

According to the figures, Bulawayo Metropolitan Province recorded 20,649 deliveries, 61 maternal deaths and 624 neonatal deaths.

Matabeleland North recorded 18,616 deliveries, 15 maternal deaths and 175 neonatal deaths, while Matabeleland South recorded 17,094 deliveries, 16 maternal deaths and 158 neonatal deaths. The two provinces also recorded the lowest numbers of deliveries nationally.

Combined, the three provinces recorded 56,359 deliveries, 92 maternal deaths and 957 neonatal deaths during the year.

Nationally, Zimbabwe recorded 410,051 deliveries, 563 maternal deaths and 6,177 neonatal deaths in 2025.

Harare Metropolitan Province recorded the highest totals, with 84,756 deliveries, 190 maternal deaths and 2,205 neonatal deaths.

Mashonaland West recorded 54,283 deliveries, 55 maternal deaths and 594 neonatal deaths, while Midlands recorded 46,770 deliveries, 78 maternal deaths and 741 neonatal deaths.

Manicaland recorded 47,942 deliveries, 53 maternal deaths and 493 neonatal deaths, Mashonaland Central recorded 43,467 deliveries, 42 maternal deaths and 434 neonatal deaths, Mashonaland East recorded 38,991 deliveries, 34 maternal deaths and 368 neonatal deaths, while Masvingo recorded 37,483 deliveries, 19 maternal deaths and 385 neonatal deaths.

Comparing the figures with those from the previous year, Dr. Mombeshora told Parliament: “It means we have done much better. We are improving.”

Responding to a follow-up question from Hon. Kapoikilu on the leading causes of the deaths, the Minister said postpartum haemorrhage remained the leading cause of maternal mortality. He added that delays in women reaching health facilities in time for emergency interventions, including caesarean sections, also contributed to maternal deaths.

For newborns, he said the leading causes were birth asphyxia and neonatal infections. He explained that birth asphyxia can occur when a baby becomes trapped in the birth canal after the placenta has detached, while infections are often linked to inadequate resuscitation at birth.

Dr. Mombeshora said the Ministry was addressing the challenge through investments in infrastructure, staffing and referral systems.

He told Parliament that more than 43 new anaesthetic machines had been deployed to district hospitals over the past year to expand access to caesarean sections. The Ministry has also supplied neonatal resuscitation equipment and is constructing mothers’ waiting shelters at health facilities so women living far from hospitals can stay near maternity services before labour begins.

On staffing, the Minister said Government had doubled registered general nursing intakes since 2023, opened three new nursing schools in Chimhanda, Gwanda and Mapisa, and reduced the period between qualifying as a general nurse and commencing midwifery training from two years to one year to increase the number of trained midwives.

The Minister also responded to concerns raised by Hon. Karenyi over reports that some women were being asked to pay for caesarean sections or experienced delays when they could not afford the costs.

He said Government policy is that no woman requiring obstetric care should be charged, adding that Government is currently paying for all blood supplied through the National Blood Service for use during childbirth.

Dr. Mombeshora further revealed that a draft National Healthcare Provision Programme Bill, which he described as a national health insurance scheme, has been completed and is expected to be considered by the Cabinet Committee on Legislation before being introduced in Parliament. He said the proposed law aims to provide free healthcare for all citizens and residents of Zimbabwe once enacted.

He urged Members of Parliament to report specific hospitals or clinics where women were denied or delayed emergency obstetric care because they could not pay so that the Ministry could investigate and intervene.

On the role of traditional birth attendants, Dr. Mombeshora said they remain recognised but that Government’s focus is now on expanding the number of professionally trained midwives. He described traditional birth attendants as having served as “a stopgap measure” while Zimbabwe builds its formal maternal healthcare workforce.

The Minister did not provide the detailed calculations underlying his comparison of maternal mortality trends with the previous year, and no maternal mortality ratio was presented during the parliamentary exchange.