The government has been urged to pay urgent attention to key interventions that would improve the lives of women and children across the country.
With less than five years remaining to achieve the World Health Organisation (WHO) target of reducing maternal deaths to 70 per 100,000 live births and ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under five-particularly by reducing neonatal mortality to at least 12 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030-stakeholders are being called upon to accelerate investments in critical areas to meet the goal.
The call was made by the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Frank Lule, at an event held yesterday to commemorate World Health Day, under the theme: 'Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.' The theme, which launches a year-long campaign, focused on maternal and newborn health, aims to rally governments and health stakeholders to intensify efforts to eliminate preventable maternal and newborn deaths, while also prioritising the long-term health and well-being of women.
Currently, close to 300,000 women lose their life due to pregnancy or childbirth each year, while over two million babies die in their first month of life and around two million more are stillborn.
