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AIDS death a concern for pregnant women

    JOHANNESBURG

    HIV/AIDS is the number one killer of new mothers in South Africa, the Department of Health said on Tuesday.

    In a study of 3,406 deaths of pregnant women and new mothers between 2002 and 2004, the department found that AIDS was responsible for 20.1 percent of fatalities.

    Other causes included pneumonia and tuberculosis, which are frequently associated with AIDS but listed separately, along with haemorrhage, malaria and other illnesses.

    Reuters quoted health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang as saying high maternal mortality was "of great concern", but the government was confident it was on the right track for addressing the situation.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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