Maternal mortality rates must reduce-Masebo

By Rosemary Kamanga

Health Minister SYLVIA MASEBO has called for more efforts in reducing maternal mortality rates.

And, Ms. MASEBO says the Zambian government is improving the healthcare system but noted that challenges persist in maternal and newborn care.

She said this in a speech read on her behalf by Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary GEORGE SINYANGWE during the joint Regional Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality and Every Newborn Action Plan workshop, Eastern and Southern Africa regional technical meeting in Lusaka today.

And United Nations Resident Coordinator BEATRICE MUTALI reaffirmed the global commitment to reducing maternal and newborn mortality rates.

Speaking through World Health Organization Country Representative NATHAN BAKYAITA, Ms MUTALI said to achieve the goal of ending preventable deaths of newborns, all countries are aiming to reduce the neonatal mortality rate to less than 12 deaths per one thousand live births by 2030.