Its infant mortality rates were exceptionally high, but the department was developing strategies and interventions to address this issue. The statistics did not reflect underlying conditions as to the cause of death, which included HIV/AIDS malnourishment, and late detection of birth defects. Furthermore, the statistics are also inclusive of infant deaths as a result of incomplete abortions, which were not disclosed to the doctors at the time of delivery. Unregistered abortion practitioners continue to be a problem in the province and the department has taken active measures to investigate this problem. The department further acknowledged that a large proportion of deaths could also have been prevented given the appropriate antenatal care and early detection of problems and abnormalities in early pregnancy.