| Today marks the start of a three-day meeting in Kampala, Uganda, of groups demanding urgent progress on health – and calling on African leaders to keep the promises made by governments of the world to dramatically reduce the needless deaths of mothers, their newborns and children.
Never before have so many from across Africa gathered to give voice to these urgent needs, arguing that not only are these deaths a violation of human rights, but a huge barrier to development, justice and prosperity. Their messages that “no woman should die while giving life” and that “EVERY ONE child should survive” - are aimed at the African Union Heads of State who meet on the 25th- 27th July.
In response to public pressure, the survival of mothers, newborns and children is already high on their agenda. Now the world is watching them and the people of Africa are demanding that they take urgent action.
On Friday 16th July, voices across Africa will unite for a rally in Kampala, calling for governments to reduce maternal, newborn and child deaths by increasing investment in health services.
Around 10 000 participants will join the rally including women involved in the ground breaking ‘caravan’ reaching Kampala today after an epic journey through Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. The health caravan, organised by ABANTU for Development, UN Millennium Campaign, FEMNET, Akina Mama wa Africa, SOWAR, White Ribbon Alliance and other partners, named ‘from the Womb to the Tomb’ has been providing services to pregnant women while raising awareness on the need to reduce maternal deaths across Africa.
The solutions to end maternal and child deaths are simple. Says Eyeneobong Emmanuel, a mother from Nigeria who only just survived the birth of her fourth child:
“If I was President the first thing I would do is to look after the women that established this world. I would build well equipped health facilities, and I would make sure that in emergencies there is a vehicle or ambulance to take a woman to hospital to save her life and the life of her child.”
The eyes of the world are now on the leaders of Africa to safeguard their women, newborns and children – who are the future of this great continent.
NOTES TO EDITORS
Fair Play for Africa, Oxfam, Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information and Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS), Save the Children, WaterAid and the White Ribbon Alliance together with local civil society organizations across Africa call on African governments to extend the Maputo Plan of Action for Implementing the Continental Sexual and Reproductive Health Framework from 2010 to 2015 and adopt a visionary Common Position on the health-related Millennium Development Goals. In addition, we call on African leaders to take action to reduce maternal, newborn and child deaths through the following essential interventions at the national level:
- Develop and implement an accelerated plan for reducing maternal, newborn and child deaths, which will tackle the major killers of women and children. Essential elements within such package should include comprehensive reproductive health services, effective antenatal care, skilled attendance at birth (including emergency care), essential newborn and postnatal care, immunization services, access to improved sanitation and water, and measures to improve the nutritional status of mothers and children.
- Meet and exceed the promise your country made in 2001 at Abuja to spend at least 15% of your national budget on health care.
- Recruit, train and retain more doctors, nurses and midwives to help reduce the overall gap of 800,000 health workers in Africa by 2015.
- Ensure health care including emergency obstetric care, is accessible for the poorest people in your country, and is free at the point of use for pregnant women and children under five.
For more information contact:
Esther Banyenzaki Chikezie Anyanwu
e.banyenzake@sciug.org chikezie.anyanwu@save-children-alliance.org
256-772-750-635 mobile 256-791-571-693 mobile
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