The Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi is calling on the region to enact legislation on maternal and children health in order to help curb child mortality and morbidity rates. Consequently, Rt. Hon Abdi is pleading for political will to ensure enforcement of such laws as the region strives to realize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The Speaker made the remarks this morning while addressing Parliamentarians during a two-day seminar themed: ‘improving information to secure women and children’s health and health related MDGs’.
The Speaker noted that there was a huge information gap in the mother and children health sector and called on stakeholders to put the issue on their radar as priorities to be addressed.
Rt Hon Abdi remarked that information on women and children issues remained core and at the centre of development and urged the East African Inter-Parliamentary Forum on Health to double its effort in advocacy around the same. He called for more endeavour to ensure information and data collection strategies were in place. .
The seminar organized by the EALA, the East African Inter Parliamentary Forum (IPF) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is been attended by EALA Members and parliamentarians from the National Assemblies in the Partner States. The two day seminar hopes to ensure revival of the Maternal New Born and Child Health (MNCH) activities of the IPF and update them by incorporating certain considerations from the recently adopted IPU Resolution on the role of parliaments in ensuring MNCH.
It further wants to safeguard previous efforts by EALA/IPF to improve MNCH by developing an action plan for consideration by the incoming Assembly (3rd EALA).
In his remarks, the Director of Programmes at IPU, Martin Chugong said the IPU would continue to work with all Parliaments in the region. ‘ We hope Parliaments and National Assemblies shall be able to access more resources, and ensure accountability so that access of health services by women and children is fully achieved,’ Chugong said.
He termed access to accurate data as essential to enable Parliamentarians articulate issues, review progress and enact legislation. He said the rate of MNCH was improving but lack of information hindered the oversight by Parliamentarians.
Dr Theopista John of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tanzania, noted that there was limited progress in child mortality in the continental picture. ‘Majority of African countries including the Partner States in East Africa have made insufficient progress and are improving – however, we only have three years to go before MDG No.4 on Child Mortality is realized’ Dr John noted. .
She said the causes of maternal mortality and morbidity include: sepsis, haemorrhage, and complications arising from adolescent pregnancies and indirect obstetric causes among others, majority of which are preventable.
On April 5, 2012, the IPU passed a Resolution on Maternal and Child Health at its 126th Conference. The landmark Resolution among other things, calls on Parliaments to ensure that MDG 4 which is on reducing the under-five child mortality rate by two thirds and MDG 5 on reducing the maternal mortality ration by three quarters are realized by 2015.
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For more information, contact: Bobi Odiko, Senior Public Relations Officer; East African Legislative Assembly; Tel: +255-27-2508240 Cell: +255 787 870945, +254-733-718036; Email: bodiko@eachq.org Web: https://www.eala.org Arusha, Tanzania
