This is an area where commitments by heads of state to implement and finance these model NGO programs could make a difference. The situation of women's basic health has improved in the region as a whole, but there are still major gaps. Women's access to pre-natal care and obstetric services has increased in most countries. This is reflected in lower rates of maternal mortality since the 1970s, although the variation among countries is substantial. In general, the coverage and quality of health care remains inadequate.
Women suffer from the low frequency of screening for cervical cancer.
Although totally preventable if caught early, cervical cancer remains the greatest cause of cancer death among women. There is also a high unmet demand for modern contraceptives in the region. Government-run family planning programs frequently have low coverage. So many women have no access to safe and reliable contraception, or they self-medicate, without good information and at some risk. As a result, illegal abortions are frequent, and many poor women suffer complications due to dangerous and unsanitary conditions.