Gambian Women’s Lives Matter, a social movement, has asked the Barrow government to institute a commission of inquiry to investigate all maternal deaths in the past five years.

The movement made the call as hundreds of Gambian women and men including family members of women victims marched to demand an end to the high rate of maternal deaths in hospitals and health clinics across the country.

Speaking at the march at WestField, Sally Jobe, said: “We hold that no Gambian women should die to give life to another Gambian, both lives should be in good health conditions. 

“We are therefore calling on the government and other stakeholders to action, we are hereby making the following demands to the Gambia government and relevant state institutions for urgent and comprehensive action: We deserve the right to employ all other peaceful constitution, a democratic measure to ensure that lives of Gambian women are not in danger while giving birth to a Gambian.

“To institute a commission of inquiry to publish and investigate all matters of maternal deaths over the last five years with a view to ascertain the reasons and identify measures to address them.”

She added: “we are saddened that despite these instruments the Gambian women continue to suffer and die with impunity as their lives never matter.”

“Contrary to our believe that no women should die while giving birth, daily account indicates that we loss two or more women during child birth due to lack of blood, poor hospital conditions including lack of necessary medical equipment or even electricity and water supply and ambulances services, which post a direct contravention to government obligation while undermining the rights of women,” she continued.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba