ABSTRACT
"Maternal mortality is a serious health problem in Mozambique. While the last DHS survey did not calculate exactly the maternal mortality ratio in the country; careful estimates indicate the MMR to be between 500 and 1500 deaths per 100 000 live births. Even with these important differences in estimation; the problem is being recognised as an important one for the health planners and the donors in the country. Mozambique has made a commitment to reduce the maternal mortality in the country. In 1998 a first general Safe Motherhood needs assessment was done which was followed in the same year by a systematic review of the causes of maternal deaths. ollowing this dynamism within the ministry of health a national strategy to reduce the maternal morbidity and mortality and neonatal mortality was formulated in 1999 and adopted in 2000; the ""...Estrategias para a reducao da morbimortalidade materna e neonatal"". This document forms the basis for formulating interventios and it is based on strengthening the health services with the concept of the provision of obstetric care (basic and comprehensive) with an adequate referral system; community involvement and an improved data collection system."