Burundi

With the fifth highest rate of maternal deaths in the world, yet a supportive and sincere dedication to progress, Burundi is poised to make significant improvements in women’s health. A country still rebuilding after 10 years of civil war and infrastructure decline, Burundi is committed to following the example of its regional neighbors in accelerating a reduction in maternal mortality through the introduction of cost-effective and simple solutions like misoprostol.

Working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and leading medical professionals, VSI is committed to making pregnancy and childbirth safer for Burundian women by supporting the integration of life-saving misoprostol into the health system. As a low-cost, simple and effective medication, misoprostol is capable of curbing maternal deaths due to postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and unsafe abortion, two of the leading killers of mothers worldwide and in Burundi. With a shortage of skilled health workers throughout the country and a lack of access to essential medicines, especially in the densely populated rural regions, easy-to-use and effective tools like misoprostol are needed to save women’s lives and offer hope to families as they rebuild.

By the Numbers

Estimated Total Population

10.6 M

Lifetime Risk of Maternal Death

1 woman in 25

Maternal Mortality Ratio

970 per 100,000 live-births

Total Fertility Rate

6.4

Births Attended by Skilled Health Provider

34%

Source: PRB, 2011