As the first lady thanks CARMMA and UNPA for successful activities geared towards sustainable Maternal and Child Health in Somaliland.
By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
BORAME (Somalilandsun) – Residents of Awdal region have received are to set to access better maternal and Child Health-MCH services.
This is courtesy of an assortment of modern equipment delivered to the Borame General hospital by the Somaliland 1st lady Amina Sheikh Mohamed Jirde ‘Amina Weris’ on behalf of the joint international donors namely United Nations Population Fund -UNFPA and Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal, New Born and Child Mortality – CARMMA
The donation in which the first lady extended her thanks to UNFPA and CARMMA included oxygen machines for use to serve babies born prematurely and ailing ones below age 9 as well as an assortment of medicinal products.
Similarly Ms Amina Weris congratulated the ministry of health which is the implementing partner for the ongoing Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality fronted by CARMMA and UNFPA.
After the handover of the MCH donation the 1st lady and her entourage that included National Organization of Women-NOW leaders, Awdal regional governor and regional Health officials, deputy minister of health and representatives of CARMMA and UNFPA inspected various MCH facilities in Borame town.
Stressing that the government and its partners are determined in the development of the health sector nationwide the first lady said that prevention of maternal and child mortality as well as reduction in premature births has been prioritized.
Thanking the Somaliland first lady for delivery of the donated equipment the Awdal Regional governor Mahmud Suleiman Ramah also promised to ensure that MCH activities are prioritized and provided aptly the entire region in the west of country and gateway to neighboring Djibouti.
While echoing Governor Ramah’s promise of apt services the deputy health minister Hasan Dahir Dimbil also pledged to not only ensure the same in Awdal region but the entire country as well.
The first lady Amina Mohamed Sh Jirde is the Somaliland country representative of The Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) an African Union Commission (AUC) and UNFPA initiative to intensify the implementation of the Maputo Plan of Action for the reduction of maternal mortality in the Africa region. Several United Nations agencies, bilateral donors and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) support CARMMA at the national, regional and global levels.
After her health sector supervision the first lady accompanied by her entourage jumpstarted construction of an asphalt road connecting the Awdal region capital to the local sports stadium.
Amina Weris concluded her working tour with the officially opening the new road to the Borame Airport seen to exist courtesy of a local council and regional Government cooperation.
According to UNFPA Somalia the Under-Five and Maternal Mortality rates in Somalia and Somaliland are amongst the highest in the world with one out of every seven children dying before seeing their fifth birthday.
The leading causes of infant and child mortality are illnesses such as pneumonia (24 per cent), diarrhea (19 per cent), and measles (12 per cent), as well as neonatal disorders (17 per cent). Under nutrition is an underlying factor in over a third of the deaths.
On the other hand adds the UN body One out of every 12 women in both Somalia and Somaliland dies due to pregnancy related causes (Maternal Mortality Rate is 732 deaths of mothers for 100,000 live births – down from 1210 in 1990). The average fertility rate is 6.6 children per woman.
Access to maternal health services is low with 44 and 38 per cent of births in Somaliland and Puntland being attended by skilled birth attendants. Somalia is also drought prone and faces food insecurity, which is exacerbated by poor healthcare, lack of access to safe drinking water and safe sanitation facilities.
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