By CHILA NAMAIKO? –

THE Government has called on expectant mothers to always deliver from?health centres to reduce the maternal mortality rate in the country.?Choma District administrative officer (DAO) Vincent Sikanyela said?Government’s desire was to see that no woman died, while giving?birth.
Mr Sikanyela said it was important for expectant mothers to access?quality health services from clinics and hospitals in order to reduce?the maternal deaths.?He was speaking in Choma on Wednesday at the opening of a three-day?workshop on Change-Champions organised by the district community?medical office.
Change-Champion is an engagement of communities to create demand for?pregnant women to access quality health services during pregnancy,?labour and after delivery.
“Commitment and love for our communities’ safe motherhood activities?need everyone to be involved and become part of the joy. No woman?should die while giving birth,” he said.
The workshop was being supported by Safe Motherhood Giving Life?(SMGL), a USAID funded project whose objective is to reduce maternal?mortality.?Mr Sikanyela called for involvement of community leaders such as?chiefs, civic leaders and faith-based organisations to help realise?Government’s objective.
In SMGL phase 1, four districts, which include Kalomo, Lundazi, Mansa?and Nyimba, were targeted to enhance the use of health services by?raising awareness among community members.?Phase II, Choma, Pemba, Chipata, Kabwe, Samfya and Zimba districts?were targeted in which the Communication Support for Health (CSH)?Zambia project would provide support to Government to design,?implement and manage effective health campaigns.
SMGL-CSH national coordinator Maggie Sikamba said there had been a?reduction of 35 per cent in maternal mortality rate since 2013 in four?districts where the organisation was operating due to efforts from?stakeholders.
She said in Southern Province, about 125 community leaders?including chiefs would be trained as Change-Champions to promote safe?motherhood.?Chief Macha appealed to the Government and other stakeholders to?increase the number of health centres in rural areas to provide quality?health services.