KIGALI - Jhpiego, an international non-profit organization that partners with the Ministry of Health to improve maternal and neo-natal health, Tuesday concluded a global health summit aimed at boosting maternal and neo-natal health.

The organization which is an affiliate of the Johns Hopkins University, brought together its country directors from over 30 countries to draw a strategic plan that will further curb the death rates of mothers and babies in member countries.

According to the President and CEO of Jhpiego, Leslie D. Mancuso, the organization which has been in existence for 37 years, has a mission to prevent needless deaths of women and their families.

"Jhpiego is committed to developing low cost efficient and innovative solutions to the problems that countries may have in areas like maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS malaria pregnancy, male circumcision and cervical cancer,” she said.

"We decided to have our meeting in Rwanda because of the government’s deep commitment to maternal-child health and family planning, evidence based practice and figuring out what is right for Rwanda. This is a place to learn from through their success stories.”

Macuso emphasized that support from the government was key.

The Health Minister, Dr. Richard Sezibera, said that with partnerships from healthcare providers, leaders and community based maternal death audits and facility audits; maternal mortality has reduced by almost 13 times in one year.

"If we collectively work together, even those conditions that seem impossible to manage can be managed,” Sezibera said.

The health leaders discussed ways of scaling up interventions in a bid to achieve more goals in promoting maternal and neo-natal health.

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