Ethiopia has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world. The problem is especially acute in southern Ethiopia, due to low agricultural productivity and diets heavily dependent on cereals and root crops.
National HIV prevention programs in Tanzania, Zambia, and Botswana must effectively address the infection rate among childbearing women during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Ethiopia suffers from a serious level of food insecurity, exacerbated by increasing population pressure, land degradation and frequent cycles of drought.
With HIV rates as high as 33%, prevention should be a central component of strategies to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa.
Studies have related maternal mortality to stage of economic development and access to reproductive services. Recent research has suggested that governance in health systems is also a strong determinant of maternal health.