Copperbelt District Records Reduction In Maternal Deaths

Masaiti District on the Copperbelt has recorded a significant reduction in the number of maternal and child deaths, Acting District Health Director Christopher Mwape has disclosed.

Dr Mwape has attributed the improvement to strides made towards the 2017-2021 National Health Strategic Plan Legacy Goal No. One of Reducing Maternal and Child Mortality.

He indicated that the district has seen a notable improvement in the number of hospital maternal deliveries and a subsequent reduction in the number of deaths among expectant mothers and children.

“We have seen a huge improvement with an increased number of expectant mothers seeking health care and utilizing maternal health services, starting with antenatal visits, leading up to hospital deliveries and this has helped reduce the number of neonatal deaths among other maternal health related issues in our community” Dr Mwape said.

He was speaking when a faith based organization, God’s Christian Missionary Services (GCMS) donated four maternity beds and 14 maternity hampers valued at Sixty Four thousand Three hundred and Forty kwacha (K64, 340), to Mushili Clinic in Masaiti district earlier this week.

Dr Mwape thanked GCMS for partnering with the government in supporting maternal and child morbidity. He added that the government alone could not manage to meet its goals of delivering quality health care.

“We are greatly humbled by this public private partnership with GCMS which has proved to be an all-weather friend, in the past they have helped the clinic with maintenance works, clearing of water bills and what we are witnessing today. Until now, the health facility had only one delivery bed and two postnatal beds, which has now been increased to two delivery beds with five postnatal beds” he stated.

GCMS President Elijah Pule said his organisation made the donation after visiting the clinic only to discover that it had inadequate furniture and supplies for expectant mothers. Her urged the hospital staff to put the donation to good use and hoped that it would help in creating a comfortable environment for expectant mothers.

The donation comprised a delivery bed, three postnatal beds, 16 pairs of white bed sheets, and curtains, and 14 maternity hampers which include a code clump, receiver blankets, baby clothing, diapers and maternity sanitary towels. Mushili clinic has a catchment of 4,562 people with an estimated 1004 women of child bearing age between the ages 15 and 49 years.