A charity has described the number of maternal fatalities in Malawi as a tragedy.

According to SOS Children, maternal mortality is a big problem in many nations in this part of Africa.

However, the charity believes the figure in Malawi is “worryingly high” and that not enough is being done to save the lives of women in the country.

This, it said, is tragic both for the victims themselves and their families, as well as the wider nation.

SOS Children noted that progress in addressing this problem has been made in the last few years.

Nevertheless, the charity said Malawi still has “a lot of work to do in order to combat pregnancy-related deaths”.

SOS Children has therefore insisted that recent momentum on the issue be maintained to ensure that more lives are saved.

The body added that the country’s president has pledged to bring down the maternal mortality rate by modernising healthcare facilities and improving care provision in rural communities in particular.