Category Archives: Capacity building

Are you in(volved)? Are you in(vited)? Are you in (ICPD)?

Are you in (ICPD)?

On 30th September – 4th October 2013, the African Regional Conference on Population and Development will be held in Addis Ababa to review progress toward the ICPD Programme of Action. This conference will bring together representatives from African government, civil society and youth organisations, and will agree a set of priorities, challenges and emerging issues for the African region.

Are you in(vited)?

From the 24th-25th September, youths from across Africa will come together during the Youth Pre-conference to identify their priorities. This will be followed by the CSO Pre-conference to be held on 26th-27th September (also tasked with identification of priorities). These combined recommendations will be presented before the experts prior to the Ministerial meeting from 30th– 4th September, 2013.

Are you in(formed)?

In response to the ICPD Programme of Action (PoA), the African Union Commission (AUC), AAI and the African Population Commission (APC) worked together to develop the African Common Position on ICPD by means of Regional Consultative Meetings which was followed by a second round of E-consultations. This generated recommendations from over 70 African experts in line with key themes within the document. On completion and adoption of all these recommendations, 342 civil society organizations signed the CSO African Common Position endorsing it as a document that represents their needs going into the Sept conference and ICPD Review process.

The CSO ACP was submitted to H.E. Dr. Mustapha S. Kaloko, the Commissioner of Social Affairs at the AUC on 5 June, 2013. The CSO African Common Position on ICPD is expected to inform the youth, CSO pre-conference documents and the experts meeting. We are currently lobbying those who will be in the experts’ room, and ensuring ministers of health receive a copy of the CSO African Common Position on ICPD prior to the conference. In addition, we continue circulating the CSO African Common Position through all our social media platforms.

Are you in(volved)?

Read more on the African Common Position on ICPD, as this document contains a set of recommendations aimed at the African Union Commission and Africa’s national governments so as to address population and development issues on the African Continent in the ICPD+20 review process. This will ensure your meaningful participation at the Regional Conference on Population and Development as we advocate for key priorities for Africa. We further ask you to be involved by lobbying your contacts too for inclusion of contents of the CSO African Common Position and vote at the Regional Conference on Population and Development. Lastly, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn for continued updates.

To make it easier for you, AAI has distilled the full Civil Society African Common Position on ICPD into a 2 page Key Messages in Brief document

The African Common Position is also available in Portuguese, French and Arabic:

Agora disponivel em portugues

Maintenant disponible en francais

الآن باللغة العربية

We sincerely hope that you will find the above information useful as we prepare for the Regional Conference on Population and Development.

Best regards,

The AAI Team

 

Are you in(volved)?

African Women MPs Discuss Family Planning

Kampala — African women MPs and leaders want parents to allow their teenage daughters to access family planning and reproductive health services with a view of bringing down the increasing cases of early and unwanted pregnancies, risky abortions and maternal deaths.

The women leaders on a two-day capacity building meeting that opened on Sunday at Speke Resort Munyonyo discussed ways on how they can reposition family planning and reproductive health on the development agenda of their respective government budgets.

The meeting was organized by Partners in Population and Development Africa Regional Office (PPDARO) in collaboration with the Health Policy Project and drew participants from Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana and Uganda the host.

Former Kalangala district Woman MP, Ruth Nvumetta Kavuma, who is a member of the African Women Leaders’ Network said that one of the major objectives of the meeting is to ensure leaders push issues of family planning and reproductive health in their countries to get increased funding.

Increased funding, she pointed out, would be key in lowering the infant and maternal mortality rates and make family planning services accessible to all women.

Amid such efforts, most parents, especially mothers still carry a negative attitude of family planning and reproductive health to their teenage daughters, said Kavuma.

And the mindset is that some mothers think that by letting their teenage daughters to access family planning services, it would lead them into promiscuity.

“But parents ought to explain all issues around family planning and reproductive health to their teenage girls so that they are aware of the outcomes of any activity they might desire to involve themselves in, including early sex,” she said.

The former lawmaker underscored the need for parents to let their teenage daughters access family planning contraceptives because of the potential of early exposure to sexual activity.

“We want parents to allow the teenage girls to attend family planning meetings at various health facilities so that they can access information and services that can help them to avoid early sex and pregnancies and how to deal with all issues around reproductive health.”

Dr. Jotham Musinguzi, the PPDARO director said there is need for African governments to increase funding towards family planning services.

He said, in Uganda for example, at least 34% of couples desire to have family planning services to space their births but cannot access them.

He went on to stress that efforts should be made to ensure this portion can have voluntary family planning services.

“If women can access voluntary family planning services, they will avoid risky and unwanted pregnancies and deaths, leading to spaced births that will be reflected in other sectors like gainful employment,” he said.

He explained that although Uganda has seen increased funding towards family planning in the last four years, there is still need to improve on policies that can benefit the grassroots women to access better health services.

Ellen Thokon Solomon from the Malawian parliament said many teenage girls in her country who became mothers disclosed that they had never received any information regarding family planning and therefore lacked knowledge on how to avoid early pregnancies.

Other young mothers in Malawi say, according to Solomon, that they would want to use family planning methods but cannot access the services or are not aware of facilities where they are available.

She therefore appealed for increased funding so that these services could be available to all women at the various lower health faculties.

By Eddie Ssejjoba

17 September 2013

http://allafrica.com/stories/201309171114.html?viewall=1

 

 

Gambia: Justice Prevails in a Two Year-Long Judicial Harassment Case Against Two Women Human Rights Defenders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), welcomes the vindication of two women human rights defenders in The Gambia following two years of judicial harassment.

On November 12, 2012, the Banjul Magistrates’ Court decided to drop all charges against Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms. Amie Bojang-Sissoho, respectively Executive Director and Programme Coordinator of The Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (GAMCOTRAP), an organisation working on sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and children.

The two women human rights defenders had been prosecuted since October 2010 on charges of “theft” for the alleged embezzlement of 30,000 Euros received in 2009 from “Yolocamba Solidaridad”, a Spanish development NGO.

This landmark decision puts an end to an uninterrupted judicial harassment that had been going on for more than two years, since the police started interrogations of GAMCOTRAP staff in May 2010.

Since the opening of their trial, Dr. Isatou Touray and Amie Bojang-Sissoho had been summoned to 66 hearings, which took place in a hostile atmosphere and on completely unlawful grounds.

Indeed, the alleged victims had never filed a complaint and the Prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence that they had indeed committed a criminal offence.

Furthermore, on January 31, 2011, Ms. Begoña Ballestros Sanchez, Director of Yolocamba Solidaridad, denied accusing anyone associated with GAMCOTRAP of theft and submitting a complaint in relation thereof during a hearing at Banjul Magistrate’s Court.

During interrogation, Ms. Isatou Touray had to respond to very precise questions by the Prosecutor covering all aspects of GAMCOTRAP’s activities, staff and resources that are unrelated to the charges. In addition, the Prosecutor also repeatedly made depreciating comments about the work of GAMCOTRAP’s programme to eradicate female genital mutilation.

The Observatory welcomes this decision and thanks all the persons, institutions and organisations who intervened in favour of Dr. Isatou Touray and Ms. Amie Bojang-Sissoho.

More generally, the Observatory hopes that their acquittal marks a step forward in the respect of the rights of human rights defenders in the Gambia.

By ALLAfrica

23 July 2013

http://allafrica.com/stories/201307230820.html

In Sierra Leone, “HIV/AIDS, TB & Malaria Pose Serious Threats to Development in Africa”…President Koroma tells Counterparts

 

President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma has said that HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria pose serious threats to the socio-economic development of Africa.He made this statement on the occasion of the Special Summit of the African Union on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis & Malaria in the Nigerian capital, Abuja on Monday 15th July, 2013.

The theme of the two-day summit is ‘Ownership, Accountability and Sustainability of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Response in Africa: Past, Present and the Future’.


President Koroma informed his colleague Heads of State and Government that Sierra Leone has drastically reduced HIV infections and was now aiming towards a zero tolerance plan against the malaise. Whilst acknowledging the challenges facing the fight, he however maintained, “We have shown leadership as a nation”.


The president also informed the Summit that in the fight against malaria & TB, the Government of Sierra Leone has made tremendous progress and was still making the necessary efforts to minimize the presence of these syndromes in the country.

President Koroma further used the platform to continue to appeal to donors to increase funding to enable performing governments accomplish their struggle against HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis in Africa.He also called on all to renew their vow and fight against these diseases so that the continent will realize sustainable socio-economic development.

He commended his Nigerian counterpart His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan and the African Union for the initiative to organize a Special Summit to implement the Abuja Call for Accelerated Action towards Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria treatment services in Africa.


In his opening remarks, the Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said the presence of his colleagues at the Summit signifies the importance they attach to the development of Africa. He pointed out that these diseases were crucial to the socio-economic development of the continent and still remain major causes of morbidity and mortality. President Jonathan therefore urged his colleagues to give the relevant attention needed to address these syndromes.


Commending Global Fund for being the major funding agency that continues to sustain the fight against malaria, TB and AIDS, which he dubbed a “noble mission”, President Goodluck Jonathan called on his colleagues Heads of States and Government to take ownership of the process. He also implored them to sustain their commitment, noting that the Summit was also to review their total achievements so far and make a renewed commitment towards the challenge.


The President also acknowledged other development partners for their immense support and efforts towards the fight against malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS in Africa.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), of the World’s thirty four million people living with HIV, 23.5 million are in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 21 of the Global Plan’s 22 focus countries are in Africa. Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there were about 219 million cases in 2010 and about 90% of the estimated 660,000 deaths from malaria in that year occurred in Africa. Africa also carries a large burden of the TB disease with 30% percent of the approximately 9 million new TB cases each year and 9 of the 22 most affected countries coming from Africa.


Recognizing the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria and other related infectious diseases on the socio-economic development of Africa, the Heads of State and Government of Africa adopted the 2000 and 2001 Abuja Declarations and Action Frameworks committing Africa Union Member States to take measures to halt the progression of these diseases in Africa. This high level commitment, reinforced on multiple occasions at the continental level over the past five years, marked a turning point in the continental response to the three diseases stimulating a sharp increase in resources and the scaling-up of programs to fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria.


Although countries have strengthened their interventions in many of the priority targets set by the Abuja Call, they still continue to face constraints due to the lack of financial, material, technical and human resources for addressing health needs. Increase access to Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) is imperative. It is against this background that the Heads of State and Government during their Twentieth Ordinary Session of the January 2013 Summit held in Addis Ababa, endorsed the offer made by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to host the Special Follow-up Summit on the Abuja 2001 Africa Union Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other related communicable diseases in the third quarter of 2013 to address the numerous challenges that will enable Africa realize the Abuja Call objectives and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on health.

On arrival in Abuja, Nigeria, President Koroma was received by the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Performance Monitoring and Evaluation, Professor Sylvester Monye, where he was taken to CGOCC Company Limited for a brief presentation on projects undertaken by the company on hydro electricity and water supply.

 

By State House  Communications

17 July 2013

http://news.sl/drwebsite/publish/article_200523238.shtml

UN Deploys Women Protection Advisers to Curb Rape in Africa

Despite the United Nations’ zero-tolerance policy against sexual violence, gender-based crimes have broken out across several of the world’s latest conflict zones. Included on that list are South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Uganda, Somalia and the Central African Republic.

Describing rape as “a weapon of war”, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the Security Council last month that sexual violence occurred wherever conflicts raged, “devastating survivors and destroying the social fabric of whole communities”.

“It was a crime under international human rights law and a threat to international peace and security,” he said.

Since most of the heinous crimes are taking place in conflict zones overseen by UN peacekeeping missions, the preeminent international organization is issuing Women Protection Advisers (WPAs) to specifically curb sexual violence in war zones. For starters, they will be deployed with peacekeeping missions in South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, DRC, Mali and Somalia.

“First-ever scenario-based training programme”

The secretary-general said that UN Women and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) have developed, on behalf of the UN Action Network, the “first-ever scenario-based training programme for peacekeepers”. Noteworthy is the fact that some UN peacekeepers have in the past, along with aid workers, been accused of sexual violence – specifically in South Sudan, DRC, Ivory Coast and Haiti.

The UN will also set up a team of experts on “the rule of law and sexual violence in conflict”, described as an important tool for strengthening national justice systems and legal frameworks. The team has already provided technical advice to governments in the Central African Republic, Colombia, Ivory Coast, DRC, Guinea, Liberia, Somalia and South Sudan.

DRC situation is “unacceptable”

More recently, in late June, the United Nations described as “unacceptable” several cases of rape of young girls in DRC. Nine young girls, aged between 18 months and 12 years, were admitted to a hospital in South Kivu with marks of violence on their bodies and very serious internal wounds, resulting in the death of two.

“Such violence and abuse is unacceptable and must be brought to an end,” said Roger Meece, head of MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC. “These abuses are said to be related to harmful traditional practices perpetrated by individuals who kidnap young children from their communities.”

There were also widespread reports of 135 women and girls allegedly raped by government soldiers in Minova in eastern DRC back in 2012.

Safety and dignity of survivors

The UN should take urgent action to ensure that WPAs be trained before their deployment and encouraged to work collaboratively with already operational humanitarian structures, said Marcy Hersh, a senior advocate for women and girls’ rights at Refugees International. Additionally, they should be held accountable to fundamental and non-negotiable ethical and safety criteria for investigating sexual violence in conflict, which preserves the safety and dignity of survivors.

Hersh said the recently unanimously passed Security Council Resolution 2106 includes language that is in accordance with these recommendations in its calls for the timely deployment of WPAs, their adequate training, and their coordination across multiple sectors.

 

By Thalif Deen

22 July 2013

http://allafrica.com/stories/201307220443.html?viewall=1

 

UNAIDS lauds U.N. Women executive director Mlambo-Ngcuka appointment

The Joint U.N. Programme on HIV/AIDS welcomed the appointment on Thursday of Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka as executive director of the U.N. Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.

Mlambo-Ngcuka was the first woman to hold the position of deputy president of South Africa, where she played a significant role in the country’s HIV program. Mlambo-Ngcuka was a chair of the South African National AIDS Council and took a lead in developing broader and more cohesive collaboration with civil society and international partners.

“Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka is a respected leader and brings with her a wealth of experience in promoting the human rights of women and girls,” Michel Sidibé, the executive director of UNAIDS, said. “She will be an important partner in the AIDS response as women continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV. We look forward to working closely with her to improve the lives of women and girls everywhere.”

UNAIDS said that respect for women’s reproductive and sexual health and gender equality are a necessity for effectively responding to HIV. Gender inequalities make girls and women more vulnerable to HIV and keep them from accessing HIV services.

U.N. Women was created in 2011 to provide a voice at national, regional and global levels for women’s equality and rights. The entity highlights the contributions and priorities of women living with or affected by HIV, contributing to the integration of gender aspects into policies developed by AIDS councils in more than 35 countries and regional programs.

Starting in June 2012, U.N. Women became the newest of UNAIDS’ 11 co-sponsoring organizations.

By Bryan Cohen

15 July 2013

http://vaccinenewsdaily.com/medical_countermeasures/326063-unaids-lauds-u-n-women-executive-director-mlambo-ngcuka-appointment/

Women’s Rights in Africa: 18 countries are yet to ratify the Maputo Protocol!

On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), the Coalition of the campaign, Africa for Womens’ Rights : Ratify and Respect reiterates its call for the continental ratification of this progressive instrument within the African human rights system and for its effective implementation.

Adopted on July 11, 2013, to complement and strengthen the articles of the African Charter related to the protection and promotion of women’s rights, the Maputo Protocol is an important instrument of reference. Its provisions, with regard to civil and political rights, physical and psychological integrity, sexual and reproductive health, non-discrimination, economic emancipation, among others, symbolise African States’ commitments to put an end to discrimination, violence and gender stereotypes against women.

« The adoption of the Maputo Protocol was an exceptional moment, historical for the realisation of the rights of women in Africa. Today, this instrument constitutes a model, a endless source of inspiration. Provided its ratification and full implementation, it can represent a real tool of action for the lasting transformation of our societies » declared Soyata Maiga, Special Rapporteur of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) on the rights of women in Africa.

36 out of 54 member States of the African Union (AU) have so far ratified the Protocol, a clear victory for those who over the years have tirelessly mobilised and worked to achieve this goal. Moreover, in many countries, legal and institutional measures, such as laws prosecuting perpetrators of sexual violence (Kenya, Liberia), criminalising domestic violence (Ghana, Mozambique), prohibiting female genital mutilation (Uganda, Zimbabwe) or establishing mechanisms mandated to promote women’s rights (Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal), have accompanied these ratifications.

 

 

See the interview of Soyata Maiga, Special Rapporteur of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) on the rights of women in Africa, on the progress made and challenges remaining since the adoption of the Protocol (interview conducted on 10 July 2013)

 

Despite these notable achievements, there are still some obstacles to the full realisation of women’s rights on the continent. Eighteen (18) states [1], have still not ratified the Protocol, and in several of these countries – including Sudan, Central African Republic or Egypt, which still facing serious political crisis or situations of armed conflicts – women continue to be the main targets of violence, discrimination and stigmatisation.

For Sheila Nabachwa, FIDH Vice President and Ag. Deputy Executive Director (Programs) at the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI – Uganda), «Non-State Parties should understand that, today, the trend goes on the other side. 10 years after its adoption, it is time for these States to ratify the Protocol and accept that the guarantee and protection of women’s fundamental rights can no longer suffer from political, cultural or religious considerations or pretexts ».

In State Parties, several of the rights enshrined in the Protocol, or provided within national laws, are yet to be fully implemented. In DRC, Guinea-Conakry, Mali, thousands of women victims of sexual violence continue to demand justice and compensation; in Uganda, they are still waiting for equality within the family to be recognised ; in Nigeria, they continue to fight for their right to property to become a reality. Unfortunately, most of the State Parties do not respect their obligation, under article 26 of the Protocol, to indicate, in their periodic reports submitted to the ACHPR, the measures undertaken for the full realisation of women’s rights as provided within the Maputo Protocol.

«The adoption of the Maputo Protocol by African States represented a formidable progress from a legal point of view ; its effective implementation should now symbolise the respect of the obligations they have freely consented to abide by » declared Mabassa Fall, FIDH Representative to the African Union.

On this tenth anniversary of the Maputo Protocol, the Coalition of the Campaign Africa for Women’s Rights: Ratify and Respect pays tribute to the determination and courage of the women and men who advocate tirelessly to ensure that the rights guaranteed in the Maputo Protocol are not lost. In this regard, our Coalition notes with concerns the repeated attacks in several countries against women activists, a phenomenon that must be taken seriously and to which States must respond without delay. The Coalition of the Campaign calls on all national, regional and international actors to join the considerable efforts that are made on a daily basis for the ratification and enforcement of the Maputo Protocol.
SOURCE : International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH)10 July 2013

http://world.einnews.com/pr_news/158178028/women-s-rights-in-africa-18-countries-are-yet-to-ratify-the-maputo-protocol

World Population Day 2013 Raises Teen Pregnancy Awareness.

Indian mother Sonia (R) looks on as her newborn baby girl sleeps at a government hospital in Amritsar on July 11, 2013, on the occasion of World Population Day. Africa and Asia are the continents that will see the fastest urban population growth in the next 40 years, a UN report said earlier in the year noting that India and China are leading the surge. The Earth's population is expected to roughly triple by 2050 compared to a century earlier. It stood at three billion in 1950, reached seven billion.

The United Nations designates every July 11 to highlight issues related to population growth, including environmental sustainability, global development, health care and youth empowerment.

With 16 million girls under 18 giving birth and 3.2 million of these teens experiencing unsafe abortions each year, the U.N. has focused the theme of 2013’s World Population Day on teenage pregnancy, highlighting the important role that teen girls play in positively impacting future generations and underscoring the importance of providing them with adequate health care and educational resources.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released a statement today raising awareness about the dangers and complications of unplanned teenage pregnancies.

“Complications from pregnancy and childbirth can cause grave disabilities, such as obstetric fistula, and are the leading cause of death for these vulnerable young women,” he wrote. “Adolescent girls also face high levels of illness, injury and death due to unsafe abortion.”

The Secretary-General also proposed various solutions to address core issues of the teen pregnancy epidemic.

“To address these problems, we must get girls into primary school and enable them to receive a good education through their adolescence. When a young girl is educated, she is more likely to marry later, delay childbearing until she is ready, have healthier children, and earn a higher income,” he stated.

Several nonprofits worldwide have taken to Twitter to highlight the issue of population growth and this year’s theme of teen pregnancy.

By Nader Salass

11 July 2013

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/11/world-population-day-2013_n_3580276.html

ARVs for the almost healthy.

Bottles of antiretroviral drug Truvada. File photo. Image by: AFP / AFP

The Health Department wants to use antiretrovirals to treat patients with a CD4 count of 500 or more next year, as recommended by the World Health Organisation’s new guidelines.

Currently pregnant women and patients with a CD4 count (a measure of immunity) of 350 or less qualify for treatment.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told The Times: “The guidelines we are currently following are from WHO, so I see no reason why we should not adopt the new guidelines. If they come with new guidelines, ours is to follow.”

But activists and doctors say the department needs to sort out its drugs stocks first.

On Sunday, the UN organisation announced the new guidelines. It said because treatment makes HIV-positive people less infectious, giving it to more people would save millions of lives by 2020.

South Africa has 2million people on ARVs, a regime that resulted in life expectancy jumping by six years last year.

Professor Francois Venter, of the HIV Clinicians’ Society, said doctors debated giving ARVs to healthier people extensively last year.

He said that giving ARVs to a million more people would create jobs and keep people in the health system.

“Patients hate being told to come back later [to get treatment].”

But, he said, “It would have been good to sort out supply issues first.”

However, with more people on treatment for longer, there is a greater chance of people developing resistance to the drugs, as happened with TB medications.

This can result in premature deaths.

Venter said the research on starting treatment earlier has not factored in “drug interruptions that we are seeing throughout our region”.

Mluleki Zazini, general secretary of the National Association for People Living with HIV and Aids, said his organisation had raised concerns about ARV stocks.

Zazini said Motsoaledi had promised to implement a centralised hi-tech stock-monitoring system for drugs.

By SIPHO MASOMBUKA and KATHARINE CHILD

5 July 2013

http://www.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/2013/07/05/arvs-for-the-almost-healthy

Nigeria: Rising Concerns On Maternal and Child Mortality in Nigeria

Of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set out in the year 2000 by the United Nations during its Millennium Sumit held at its headquarters in New York, which are to be achieved by 2015, goals 4, 5 and 6 have direct bearing on maternal and infant mortality. They are reducing child mortality rates, improving maternal health and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

While most countries around the world are working round the clock to achieve the goals, less than two years to the target date, most Nigerians are skeptical that the country will achieve such a target by the year 2015 when more than half of the issues related with the identified goals are still being handled with laxity.

Maternal mortality, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management but not from accidental or incidental causes.

Child mortality, on the other hand, refers to the death of infants and children under the age of five. In 2011, 6.9 million children under five reportedly died down from 7.6 million in 2010, 8.1 million in 2009 and 12.4 million in 1990. Child mortality is more prevalent in the Sub-Saharan Africa with about half of child deaths being recorded there.

In Nigeria, experts said pregnancy, labour and early childhood are well recognized as being hazardous in most communities. Every now and then, women get pregnant and are delivered of their children some of whom often die from preventable diseases.

There are growing concerns about the way women and children die daily as a result of health complications in the country. According to experts, statistics on maternal deaths in the country are so shocking and unacceptable. It is said that a nation which allows her women to die in the process of bringing forth live only exists on borrowed time.

Official figures from the National Population Commission (NPC) few years ago claimed that there were 52,000 cases of maternal deaths in Nigeria annually; that is about 142 deaths daily. It also said that for every dead woman, there are 20 cases of morbidities such as obstetric fistula, infections and disabilities.

However, a recent report by the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria claimed that 11,600 maternal deaths were recorded in three months – between January and March this year – an average of 45 women died from pregnancy complications every day within the period.

According to the society, Nigeria accounts for 10% of maternal deaths in the world, ranking the second highest after India. This was made known by the Lagos State chairman of the society, Dr Oulwarotimi Akinola.

Akinola said the major causes of high maternal mortality rate in Nigeria are haemorrhage infection, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, obstructed labour and anaemia, saying that any efforts by the government to reduce maternal mortality rates in the country must address the root cause of delays in seeking healthcare, accessing it and receiving help at any centre.

There are however other challenges that were identified by stakeholders, which are specific to rural areas. Delivering a paper recently at an event organized by the National Council of Women Societies of Nigeria (NCWS) recently, Hajiya Khadijat Mustapha Giwa of the FCT Health Department said the problems range from lack of proximity of healthcare posts to the target people at the grassroots, non-functional health centres, unqualified healthcare personnel and illiteracy among the target groups which make them to resort to traditional birth attendants (TBAs).

President of the council, Nkechi Okemini Mba, while expressing her concern on the issue stated that, “an important yardstick for measuring the development in the health sector as a nation is the level of transformation we are able to record in the grassroots.”

Worried by the development, the NCWS President said the council was partnering Faxmail Research Unit to bring up a programme called Natal Care Partnership Initiative in order to take the campaign on maternal health to all the 774 local governments in Nigeria with a view to sensitizing the rural women on their health.

She said, “Unfortunately over the years, the safety of mother and child in the local councils has been ill-attended to, especially goals 4, 5 and 6. Nigerian mothers and children residing in the villages have been most vulnerable. This is because they were largely exposed to difficult circumstances ranking first in malaria and infant mortality rates in the world.”

She added that it was the gaps and setbacks witnessed in the past that gave birth to such partnership. “To deliver on this requires the capacity to transform the way we do things to ensure plans translate into action and action into results. This programme will set up a common platform among LGAs for uniform action in reducing and enhancing delivery of Maternal and Child Healcare (MCH) and review in line of responsibility that are often blurred.”

On his part, Ambassador Boniface Anidobu, who is the managing consultant, Faxmail Research Unit, said Natal Care is based on four components which are physical care, emotional care, healthcare and spiritual care, out of which only healthcare is provided by government, while the rest are influenced either by the environment or cultural background of the people.

The programme, he said, would target reducing maternal and child deaths scourge in Nigeria, achieving MDGs 4, 5 and 6, eradicating polio and providing a reliable database necessary for evaluating healthcare service provision, planning and research duties.

As the nation marches towards 2015, experts believe that government must take the issue of maternal and child mortality seriously by matching words with actions for it to achieve the set target.

By Musa Abdullahi Krishi

28 June 2013

http://allafrica.com/stories/201307011298.html?viewall=1