The Parliamentarians for Safe Motherhood Group (PSMG) has promised to stage a massive campaign in January next year to ensure that the government puts aside sufficient budget for maternal and infant health care.
PSMG Chairperson, Ms Jenista Mhagama
The group reached the deliberation in Dar es Salaam over the weekend after a brief discussion on maternal health situation in the country, during a workshop sponsored by the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood Tanzania (WRATZ).
The PSMG Chairperson, Ms Jenista Mhagama, said that the group will in January lead a campaign in which all MPs will be asked to sign a petition to show their support. Ms Mhagama said that the petition will require MPs to declare that they really value women and children of this country and that they are not ready to see maternal and infant deaths anymore.
“Data have it that we are losing about 168 women and infants in the country on a daily basis. This is such a huge number that we cannot ignore.
We need to do something to change this trend,” she said. Ms Mhagama noted that in the petition, MPs will vow to urge the government to build at least one theatre room in at least one health centre in each district dedicated for maternal health.
The petition also want MPs to ask the government to put aside budget to train at least one assistant medical officer, two surgeons and anaesthetist in a health centre in all districts.
“We will be tough in this undertaking because it will also act as evidence that MPs love women and children of this country and they wish them better health.
We believe that all MPs will sign,” she said. Earlier, the WRATZ Country Coordinator, Ms Rose Mlay, said the time to act was now to avert the trend and ensure that the country reaches the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) number 4 and 5.
She said that according to health data, 8,000 women and 48,000 infants die in the country every year due to birth and pregnant complications.
“In total, we are losing 56,000 people, mothers and infants combined. These are deaths which could be prevented only if we put in place best reproductive health services near to people,” she said.
Ms Mlay also emphasised on emergency care, saying that many women have lost their lives due to lack of such services in their areas. She also asked MPs to ensure that budget on these matters is ring fenced to ensure that it is being spent only to the intended activity.
One of the workshop facilitators, Dr Neema Mamboleo named major direct causes of maternal morbidity and mortality as including haemorrhage, infection, high blood pressure, unsafe abortion, and obstructed labour.
“These causes are preventable but the prevention will be possible only if we have in place better health facilities nearer to people so that such services are accessible,” she said.
By ABDULWAKIL SAIBOKO, Tanzania Daily News
