On April seventh, WHO Zambia hosted a foremost advocacy assembly on the Taj Pamodzi Hotel to commemorate World Health Day. This year’s theme, “Wholesome Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,” emphasizes the significance of maternal and new child health and highlights the necessity for extra investments in quality healthcare services and products to be definite a healthy originate up for mothers and their infants.
The event introduced collectively policy makers, health care suppliers, advocates, and civil society organizations to converse about initiatives to give a take to maternal and new child outcomes in Zambia.
Keynote audio system included the Appearing Minister of Health, Hon. Douglas Siakalima, who pressured out the significance of maternal and child health as a cornerstone of the nation’s health approach. “When mothers accept quality health care, they’re empowered to give their early life a healthy originate up in lifestyles, surroundings up a ripple develop that influences the health of families, communities and our nation as a complete,” mentioned Hon Siakalima.
The assembly underscored Zambia’s dedication to bettering maternal and new child health services and products by improved healthcare infrastructure, coaching healthcare professionals, and bettering the provision of very foremost medicines.
One of the event’s highlights turned into once the testimony of Emma Zulu, a mom from Rufunsa District. Emma shared her journey of receiving timely and effective antenatal care, which helped her prepare her low blood stress and sooner or later gave birth to a healthy toddler. Her memoir exemplifies the sure impact of quality maternal health services and products on particular person lives.
The World Health Organization Nation Representative, Dr Clement Peter Lasuba, emphasised the necessity for extra strategies, investments, collaboration, and dedication to discontinue maternal and neonatal deaths. “Let us unite our efforts and put money into excessive impact interventions adore emergency obstetric and neonatal care, improved antenatal and postnatal services and products, and strengthening the capacity of healthcare suppliers including midwives, nurses, and community health employees to be definite skilled care at birth, this is in a position to maybe also unbiased wait on us decrease and discontinue deaths,” Dr Lasuba mentioned.
Essentially based mostly on the Zambia Demographic Health Check, maternal deaths dangle diminished from 278 per 100,000 live births in 2018 to 187 per 100,000 live births in 2024. Equally, neonatal mortality has declined from 24 per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 17 per 1,000 live births in 2024.
To continue this trajectory, the Republican President. Mr Hakainde Hichilema has prioritized maternal health as a key legacy for his administration. He has directed efforts to make maternal health infrastructure, be definite the provision of neat water, and make greater the provision of medicines, scientific gear, and transport. These initiatives intention to diminish maternal and neonatal mortality charges and give a take to overall health outcomes for mothers and newborns.
The advocacy assembly additionally focused on participating communities, empowering girls, and elevating awareness concerning the significance of maternal health. Healthcare suppliers, academia, health cooperating partners, and civil society had the change to unusual some of their work to enhance healthcare receive admission to, tackle health disparities, and foster a extra match environment for future generations.
The event underscored WHO Zambia’s dedication to achieving health equity and making sure everyone can lead a healthy lifestyles.
