Globally, most countries have shown some level of improvements in maternal, reproductive and child health indicators. However, the African Region still has the highest maternal, newborn, and child mortality compared to other WHO Regions. In addition, women, adolescents and other vulnerable groups continue to face challenges in accessing quality Sexual and Reproductive Health information and services. 

"Improving the health of women, children and adolescents is an important contributor towards attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC). While progress has been made, a lot still needs to be done. If we continue on the current trajectory it is unlikely that the Sustainable Development Goals targets on maternal health, sexual and reproductive health and child survival will be met in 2030." Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Africa.

The AFRO Regional Director recognized the need to have an independent group of experts who can provide strategic advice on how to speed up the progress towards ending preventable maternal and child deaths and improve sexual and reproductive health in the Region. For this purpose, the Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescents Health Technical Advisory Group (RMNCAH TAG) has been established.  

The seventeen RMNCAH TAG members represent a broad range of disciplines: public health, epidemiology, pediatrics, neonatology, adolescent health, child health, obstetrics and gynecology, midwifery, health economics, advocacy, anthropology, gender, equity and human rights, human resources for health and sociology. 

The RMNCAH TAG has the duty of advising WHO AFRO on overall regional policies and strategies related to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescents' health. 

For the RMNCAH TAG to perform its duty, it required some orientation on the AFRO Regional RMNCAH situation, the related initiatives and the expected roles and responsibilities of its members. It is for this purpose that an inaugural meeting of the TAG was held on 25th November 2020.

"We shall share with you the many challenges hindering the progress in WHO African Region towards reducing maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent mortality rates, most of which are related to the resilience of the health system. We believe that with the strategic advice from the TAG, these challenges can be overcome, and we can move positively towards achieving the RMNCAH SDG targets by 2030" said Dr. Jennifer Nyoni, Universal Health Coverage/Life Course Cluster Acting Director during her opening remarks.

The meeting also provided a platform for the selection of the RMNCAH-TAG Chair and Vice-Chair which was based on the following criteria: geographic balance, gender balance, diversity, and expertise. 

The meeting elected Dr Jeanne d'Arc Gakuba as the Honorable Chair of the RMNCAH TAG. Dr Gakuba is a former Senator and Vice-President of the Senate of Rwanda, former Vice Mayor of Kigali, with 32 years’ experience in health governance, health financing, health workforce, service delivery systems. She is also a gender and social protection advocate and member of various decision-making organs for Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal and Child Health. 

The meeting elected Professor Blami Dao as the Honorable Vice Chair of the RMNCAH TAG. Professor Dao, from Burkina-Faso, is the Jhpiego Technical Director for Western and Central Africa, with 28 years’ experience in Sexual, Maternal and Reproductive Health at national and international level. Professor Dao is currently a member of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group of Experts (STAGE) on Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (MNCAH&N). He is also a member of the Burkina Faso national RMNCAH Group of Experts. He is an expert in health governance, service delivery, health systems, health information, research, and innovation.