Maternal and neonatal healthcare services face critical pressures in Malawi and Namibia

Healthcare facilities in Malawi and Namibia are facing significant challenges regarding maternal and newborn survival rates.

In Malawi, the nation’s four central hospitals—Mzuzu, Queen Elizabeth Central (QECH), Zomba, and Kamuzu Central (KCH)—are struggling with overcrowding, equipment shortages, and inadequate neonatal care. Officials reported to the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus that these facilities are being stretched by acting as both primary and tertiary referral centers. At QECH in Blantyre, the neonatal death rate reached 50 per 1,000 live births between April and December 2025, significantly exceeding the facility target of 17 per 1,000. The hospital also lacks a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) despite high volumes of complicated cases.

In Namibia, while national maternal mortality has decreased from over 450 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 139, regional disparities remain high. The Omaheke and Zambezi regions report mortality ratios well above the national average. A review of deaths between April 2021 and March 2024 indicated that 54% of maternal deaths could have been prevented with better clinical care. Key issues identified include delays in recognizing clinical deterioration, inadequate referral practices, and obstetric complications such as postpartum hemorrhage.