Congo-Brazzaville

Buffeted by humanitarian crises, the Republic of Congo has a weak health system and a high maternal death rate, even though trained personnel largely attend births. To accelerate development, the government is committed to providing free maternal and child health care as well as promoting gender equality. Active in the country since 1972, UNFPA has helped reduce maternal mortality, increase contraceptive prevalence and lessen HIV/AIDS rates. Current programmes focus on improving health for mothers and newborns, including in indigenous communities, and promoting family planning as well as reproductive and sexual health education for young people.