•HEALTH Minister Joseph Kasonde (left) with Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Henrik Cederin.

By HARBGUY MWAMBAZI –

DELIVERY of quality health services has always been a crucial theme by all successive Zambian governments because a healthy nation leads to national development.
The importance of providing quality healthcare services to all usually gives an assurance of positivity among the masses.
It is always a bonus for citizens, especially those in the rural areas, to be granted an opportunity to access quality health services in similar manner like the people in urban areas.
However, as 2015 marked the end of the implementation period of the Millennium Development Goals (MGDs), there has been a great deal of attention towards the care for women and child health.
This has triggered the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the Swedish government, to launch the Reproductive, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition Programme.
The initiative was launched in Lusaka recently.
Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Henrik Cederin said the new maternal programme was in line with its MDGs.
“Amongst our MDGs, there is health. And health still remains one of our most important areas of cooperation throughout the years. Our continued commitment to health is demonstrated by the new grant of US$48 million,” he said.
Mr Cederin said as Zambia focuses on issues to do with the betterment of maternal and child health, it was important to remember that the cause should be carried out in an efficient way.
He said that there is a serious need to cater for child and women health issues the country, especially in the rural areas which posed great concern.
“No one can refuse the fact that women and child maternal health is very important in any nation and always requires a sharp mind to achieve specific goals and no one can refute the essence of importance behind one having to experience good quality health with no problems,” he said.
Mr Cederin said the key to the success of launching the program was the analysis and planning that various countries, including Zambia, had gone through.
“It is fitting to know that the programme was carefully designed by the Government of Zambia, Sweden, United Kingdom (UK), and other bodies including United Nations (UN) agencies, the European Union (EU), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank.
“This was set up in this organised manner and backed by our partners to ensure that they help us execute the program here in Zambia,” he said.
He said apart from tackling maternal health in Zambia, the Swedish government was committed to the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, as well as balancing aid to gender issues in Zambia.
“Feminist foreign policy and other health support initiatives will later be implemented and will certainly foster gender equality and improved human rights for women and girls. HIV/AIDS and other important diseases remain of primary concern in Zambia and together we shall fight,” he said.
Health Minister Joseph Kasonde said that the programme would not only strengthen the health sector in Zambia, but it would also build up the health delivery system.
“The new launch of this program by the Swedish Government will significantly step up the realisation of the health sector mission statement of provision of equitable access to cost effective, quality health services as close to family as possible,” he said.
Dr Kasonde said even though the maternal ratio reduced from 591 per 100,000 in 2007 to 398 per 100,000 in 2013, a lot remained to be done in terms of boosting the quality of health services, especially to the vulnerable women, adolescents and children.
He said the Government had demonstrated political will to deliver the necessary health systems and services to almost all districts.
“We need to know that all provinces are covered in terms of support towards reproductive health.
“Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) has covered Southern and Eastern provinces while World Bank supports five provinces; Luapula, Northern, North-Western Muchinga and Western.
The last one is Central Province which will be covered by DFID to complement the support in reproductive, maternal neonatal and child health but currently, Central Province is covered by UNPF,” he said.
He said SIDA will try by all means to supplement support at national and sub-national levels over a five year period, starting from October, 2015 through September 2020.
Dr Kasonde said the ministry has embarked on the implementation of the activities as was agreed. He said more than 80 per cent of those activities where implemented.
Previously, some provinces benefited from SIDA’s developmental health programs, which left a lasting impact in areas regards health services and delivery schemes.
Eastern Province medical officer, Abel Kabalo, whose province is benefiting from the aid for a second time around, feels the launch of this new programme is evidence of the mission in Zambia and the Swedish government’s commitment to provide support.
Dr Kabalo said Eastern Province’s first encounter with SIDA was the “Saving Mothers Giving Life (SMGL) project which was implemented in various districts in the area.
“This project was successfully implemented in the first place in four districts; Mambwe, Sinda, Petauke, and Vubwi, with the support of the SIDA which provided a total amount of $3.1 million.
“The overall objective of the project was to reduce maternal mortality ratio in districts by 50 per cent from 157 per 100,000 to 78 per 100,000 lives by 30th June 2015,” he said.
Dr Kabalo said from the time the first project was implemented to the time when the current project was launched last week, tangible results were recorded from the SMGL.
“I am delighted to report that the first project under the SMGL did not go to waste as many positive results to the community of Eastern Province were gained.
“We have basic equipment, four ambulances, 39 motorbikes, 24 boreholes and incinerators,” he said.
The province also has eight mothers’ waiting homes, 44 solar panels, and 390 bicycles for trained SMAGs.
In addition, 56 midwives were employed to improve maternal health services.
Dr Kabalo further said Eastern Province had done the ground work to pave way for the new programme to begin at a good pace.
It is fitting to say that the lives of mothers and children in Zambia remain an important issue for the Ministry of Health and its cooperating partners in the quest to ensure equitable access to quality health services at all times.