Benin report - Institut Africain de la Gouvernance

CHAPTER SIX: SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT__________________________________________________________________________Box 6.5: The promotion of reproductive healthIn Benin, the government has formulated a Family Health Policy and a National ReproductiveHealth Programme (PNSR). Their main components are: women‟s health (gynaecologicalcare and support, safe motherhood, reducing maternal mortality rate, and neonatal care);youth health (education on family life and responsible parenthood); the management of thereproductive health of adolescents and young people (including the prevention of riskybehaviour, unwanted pregnancies, early motherhood and induced abortions); men‟s health(the promotion among men of the awareness about their responsibilities in reproductivehealth and of their adherence to the reproductive health programme); the management ofsexual pathologies and sexual dysfunctions; and the fight against sterility and genital cancers.In the area of women‟s health, the different strategies are aimed mainly at reducing maternalmortality.In order to reduce maternal mortality, many steps have been taken by the government – onboth the institutional and operational levels – in order to reduce the ratio of 498 deaths per100,000 live births observed in 1996, to 200 deaths per 100,000 live births, which is the targetfor 2016. These steps include:Preparing the different documents used as a frame of reference for the implementation ofpolicy programmes, norms, standards of services in family health, programmes and theIEC strategy in reproductive health.Improving and extending coverage in health infrastructures to ensure that women havebetter access to antenatal care and delivery services.Improving the quality of services by improving technical competence.Advocating the involvement of the politico-administrative authorities, parliamentarians,leaders and communities in order to resolve the health problems of the mother and thechild.812. HIV/AIDS control. The HIV epidemic is regularly monitored in Benin. At thenational level, AIDS prevalence among women in prenatal consultations stoodat 2.1% in 2005. This figure hides large disparities between districts. TheHIV/AIDS infection rate continues to rise at an alarming rate in thepopulation, despite sensitisation and social mobilisation campaigns. Accordingto EDS II, the number of persons living with HIV and AIDS in 2005 wasestimated at 71,950. This number seems to be underestimated because of themethod of monitoring and insufficient voluntary screening. The authorities areimplementing a combat strategy based on prevention and free treatment withARVs. They also set up a specific budget item within each ministry for thefight against HIV/AIDS.Box 6.6: The National Solidarity FundA helpful measure was the creation of the National Solidarity Fund with resources from debtalleviation under the HIPC Initiative to support and intensify the control of malaria andHIV/AIDS. However, the perception of the people interviewed is divided about its realeffectiveness. Screening is not always discreet, despite the principle of medical264