World Health Day: Make Every Mother and Child Count

Issued by the National Department of Health Chief Directorate: Communications

5 April 2005

Maternal and child mortality will be the main focus of this year's World Health Day to be observed in on Thursday April 7th 2005 countrywide.

This year's World Health Day's commemorations would be observed under the theme "make every mother and child count". This slogan seeks to highlight government's commitment to prioritising the health of our women and children.

This is in line with the Millennium Development Goals agreed on by the international community in 2000 to reduce maternal deaths by three-quarters and reduce child mortality by two-thirds by the year 2015.

Maternal death and child mortality remains a global challenge with the problem more pronounced in developing countries. Every year, more than half a million women die from pregnancy-related causes. Every minute, 20 children under the age of five years die i.e. 10.6 million children each year. Almost all these deaths are in developing countries.

In South Africa alone, the maternal mortality ratio is estimated at 150/100 000 live births. About 4 500/100 000 women are expected to suffer from complications of pregnancy. According to the South Africa Demographic and Health Survey of 1998 three quarters of all deaths under the age of five occur in the first year of life and one third occur in the first month of life.

Most unfortunately - these deaths could have been prevented with well-known remedies and actions. There is no need to rediscover a cure for maternal death except to apply the knowledge we already have in saving lives.

This year the Department of Health together with its partners will be observing the day through events and activities planned at various points around the country to promote healthy lifestyles and the survival, health and well-being of mothers and children.

The main event takes place at Waterberg in Steilloop near Polokwane in the Limpopo Province on Thursday April 7th where National Health Minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang would deliver a keynote address. The event will reflect the situation of maternal and child health as it prevails in the rural settings. The following areas will be the focus for the event:

• Poverty alleviation including issues of Social Security, Nutrition and sustainable access to food.
• Access to Health Services with emphasis on strengthening the delivery of primary Provision of Basic Services to rural areas including water and sanitation
• Emphasis on the community component of the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI)
• Strengthening the "Saving Mothers Initiative"

Enquiries: Solly Mabotha @ 083 678 9860