28th July, 2010
AMREF welcomes the renewed commitment from African governments towards maternal and child health. As Africa’s leading health development organisation and a voice of vulnerable communities across the continent, we laud this commitment but urge African governments to deliver on these promises to ensure no more mothers and newborns die needlessly.
African governments made a commitment to honour the 2001 Abuja Declaration of allocating 15 per cent of national budgets towards health spending. In an eight point draft declaration on maternal and child health, African leaders meeting at the 15th Ordinary Session of the African Union in Kampala committed to strengthening health systems - particularly primary health care, training community health workers and waiving user fees for pregnant mothers and children under 5.
The actions also called on the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB to create a new fund for maternal, newborn and child health and the AU to establish a special task force on maternal and child health. Member countries also committed to launching the AU led Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA).
Following the G8 Muskoka Initiative to invest $5 billion USD in maternal and child health in developing countries, African governments have now also addressed this critical health issue.
“It’s time to move from declarations to real action. Now that African leaders have also prioritised maternal and child health throughout this summit, we urge them and the international development community to ensure adequate resources are made available and targeted to the mothers and children in Africa who need them most,” says AMREF in Uganda’s Country Director Joshua Kyallo.
With a commitment to many of AMREF’s key recommendations to leaders at the Summit, AMREF remains optimistic that the actions proposed today will translate into reduced child and maternal deaths across Africa and bring African countries closer to achieving Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 and 6.
“We know that access to basic health services will go a long way in saving the lives of mothers and newborns. We are pleased with the outcome of the Summit but remind leaders that it is critical that they deliver on these promises in a timely and transparent manner,” says AMREF’s Director General Teguest Guerma.
The biggest threat to the lives of teenage girls and young women in Africa is pregnancy and childbirth. According to WHO, a woman living in sub-Saharan African faces a 1 in 16 lifetime risk of dying due to pregnancy, and for every woman who dies, another 20 suffer from illness and devastating birth-related injuries.
Founded in 1957, AMREF is the world’s leading African health development organisation. With headquarters, history and feet on the ground in Africa, AMREF ensures good health for the most marginalised people in Africa. With their active involvement, AMREF develops and implements innovative solutions to critical health challenges facing the continent.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Melanie Sharpe AMREF Communications +256 787 623 509 msharpe@amrefcanada.org Steve Murigi, AMREF Communications + 256 777 258 053 steve.murigi@amref.org Bob Kioko AMREF Communications Director +254 735 546 440 bob.kioko@amref.org |
