Tanzania Health Minister calls for greater female representation in health policy to reduce maternal and child mortality

Geneva. Tanzania Minister of Health, Ummy Mwalimu, has stated that to reduce maternal and child mortality, African countries must ensure women have adequate representation in the health policy-making process.

She mentioned that Tanzania has made significant strides in reducing maternal mortality, from 556 per 100,000 live births to 104, thanks to the commitment of top government leaders and the involvement of professional associations, which have contributed to these achievements.

The Health Minister made this statement today, May 29, 2024, in Geneva, Switzerland, during a meeting discussing inclusive strategies to reduce maternal mortality.

The meeting was organized by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), Save the Children, and the African Union.

"African countries can take steps to reduce maternal and child mortality, first by creating policies and laws aimed at combating stigma and discrimination, ensuring accountability among all stakeholders. Also, it is crucial to ensure adequate representation of women and parents in the policy-making process and political decisions to ensure children's interests are well represented," said Ms Mwalimu.

The Minister also advised investing in reproductive health education and building a just and equitable society.

Ms Mwalimu also recommended that African countries create policies and laws to combat stigma and discrimination against women and children and establish accountability systems.

For Tanzania, the leader said these achievements were due to measures taken, including the requirement that any health center or hospital experiencing maternal death must review the case within 24 hours at public facilities and create an action plan to prevent future deaths.

Another measure is investing in surgical infrastructure for pregnant women, safe childbirth drugs, and establishing an emergency referral system for pregnant women, M-Mama.

The involvement of professional associations has enabled Tanzania to achieve significant success in reducing mortality.

Opening the meeting, the African Union Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development, Ambassador Minata Samate, said the AU will continue to collaborate with member states to achieve the goal of healthier communities.

Contributing to the discussion, WHO's Director of Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health, Dr Anshu Banerjee, stated that the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality is not progressing as expected.

He said that maternal and child deaths are preventable because they are often caused by infectious diseases, poor nutrition, challenges in accessing healthcare due to distance, poor infrastructure, and a shortage of healthcare providers.

Dr Banerjee expressed his concern about the increasing rates of newborn deaths, stating that the progress made is regressing.