The ministry of Health says about 40 per cent of children dying below the age of five years die of neonatal complications, which accounts for two thirds of infant mortality in Zambia.
According to a recent Zambia demographic health survey, the maternal mortality rate is now at 591 deaths per 100,000 live births, a significant improvement from the previous 729 deaths.
Acting Minister of Health Mike Mulongoti said there was need to train community based human resources and increase the use of health facilities for emergency obstetric care in order to have a positive effect on people.
Mr. Mulongoti was speaking at the launch of the integrated maternal, neonatal and child health project in Lusaka today.
He pledged government’s continued support in promoting development partners who initiate interventions that contribute to its efforts.
He stressed the need to strengthen and support outreach services through mobile health services to ensure that safe motherhood was recognized as a basic right of women.
Mr. Mulongoti said women have the right to receive comprehensive reproductive health care, family planning, nutrition and basic health services.
He further noted that access to essential obstetric services was limited in developing countries, adding that building a functional referral to obstetric services can reduce maternal mortality.
He said the need for concerted efforts by all stakeholder and partners to join efforts can enhance maternal, neonatal and child health in Zambia.
And AfriCare country representative Gordon Brown said Zambia needs to have an under five mortality rate of 64 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2015 which is a 60 per cent reduction from the current levels.
Mr. Brown stressed that the AfriCare project in rural communities will assist in the promotion of maternal, neonatal and child health through the improvement of health seeking and care giving behaviour among pregnant women and caretakers in all the districts.
He however said his organisation will work diligently to promote the sustainability of community based maternal, neonatal and child health services in working with safe motherhood action groups.
ZANIS
Heading should read “Neonatal complications cause 40 % of under-five deaths THOUGH could have be reduced by BILLIONS stolen”
Yaba! ama billion stolen ku Health ministry could have prevented these statistics
Ama billion mulelya mweka
mulongoti,what do you mean by mobile health services? you pipo why are you so stubborn? citizens have rejected the purchase of mobile hospitals,plz for once respect our wishes! maternal and child mortality will not be reduced by mobile health services,instead invest in both human and infrastructure development in the health sector.
Iwe Mulongoti, that word ‘Mobile’! Dont think you are clever. Ukutum.pa!!
This only goes to show that this Kindergaten Gov has lost touch with the pipo. this bores down to Corruption, stop the Greedy Fat Cats from stealing from the pipo.
that is very sad, I did not know that Zambia was such an under developed country. Do most babies being born at home, die from birth complications? There is a maternal hospitas in Lusaka, but is it for the fat cats only? :((