Tanzania has called for stronger action to reduce preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths across Africa, as Vice President Deogratius Ndejembi represented President Samia Suluhu Hassan at a high-level Heads of State side event held on the margins of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
Ndejembi said the health and survival of African women, newborns and children remain a major test of the continent’s health systems, human capital and shared prosperity.
Speaking on behalf of President Samia, the African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, he said Africa continues to account for approximately 70 percent of global maternal deaths and nearly two-thirds of deaths among children under five, despite significant progress and the availability of interventions that can save lives.
He said the challenge is no longer simply knowing what works, but ensuring that proven interventions are financed and delivered reliably, equitably and at scale.
Ndejembi emphasised that health sovereignty should be measured by what women, newborns and children can actually receive when they need care, rather than only by Africa’s ability to finance, manufacture or procure health products.
The event also highlighted findings from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) showing that many maternal and child deaths are preventable.
Dr Raji Tajudeen said weaknesses in service delivery, shortages of trained health workers and medical products, poor-quality information systems, inadequate financing, and gaps in leadership and coordination continue to affect health outcomes across the continent.
He said evidence shows that countries often have policies, strategies and costed plans in place, but the information generated is not consistently translated into action.
The discussions centred on the Three Zeros agenda championed by President Samia: zero unsafe deliveries and referrals without skilled care, zero preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and zero-dose children.
World Health Organisation Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that Tanzania has demonstrated significant progress, including an 81 percent reduction in maternal mortality over six years.
The speakers called for stronger political leadership, better use of data, improved health-system capacity and sustainable financing to accelerate progress towards maternal and child survival targets by 2030.
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