Time to act on infant mortality, Makuza tells AU

KAMPALA - PRIME Minister Bernard Makuza has challenged African leaders to lay strategies for putting an end to maternal and child deaths, which he said has continuously dogged the health status of Africans. The Premier made the call yesterday at the ongoing African Union Summit in Kampala, where he represented President Paul Kagame, a summit that is focusing on maternal, child, infant health and development in Africa. “What Africa needs is action to totally eliminate the problem, rather than speeches and endless meetings…it is very important to show interest in saving the lives of our people because it’s our obligation,” Makuza said in a subsequent interview with The New Times. Asked whether Africa requires external intervention to curb these problems, the Premier said that the continent possess potential requirements of resolving its own problems. “We must use our small resources to solve our problems; if international organizations and other developed countries support us financially or otherwise, they are welcome, but it doesn’t mean that we shall always depend on them.” He gave an example of some of the home-grown solutions that Rwanda has adopted to curb this citing the communal health insurance facility, commonly known as Mutuelle de Sante, which he said has helped in significantly cut these deaths. Other means, he said include the distribution of mobile phones to community health mobilisers and increasing ambulances at health facilities countrywide to ease transportation of the patients. “People in villages are provided with cell phones which for example pregnant women use to call for ambulances and doctors in case any problem arises, which has reduced the death toll within the last four years.” He therefore appealed to all African countries and various partners to strive to revive the image of the continent through engaging in saving the lives of thousands of Africans who die every day. Foreign Affairs Minister Louse Mushikiwabo, the High commissioner to Uganda Maj. Gen Frank Mugambage and Rwandan ambassador to the African Union Joseph Nsengimana, were part of the Rwandan delegation to the summit. Ends

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Time to act on infant mortality, Makuza tells AU