Kenya hosts 8th International Conference on MCH Handbook
22 October 2012, Nairobi -- The 8th International Conference on Mother and Child Health (MCH) Handbook co-hosted by the Government of Kenya and the International Committee on MCH Handbook was officially opened by the Hon. Minister for Public Health and Sanitation, Hon. Beth Mugo. The 4 day International Conference was held in Nairobi at the Multimedia University College of Kenya under the theme “Use of the MCH Handbook to Accelerate the Achievement of MDGs 4 and 5”.
This is the first time that the conference is being hosted in Africa. The 1st International symposium on MCH Handbooks was held in Tokyo in 1998. Thereafter, international conferences were conducted in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Tokyo and Bangladesh.
The conference attended by participants from 24 countries (Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, Madagascar, Cameroon, Morocco, Lesotho, Malawi, South Sudan, Zambia, Namibia, Japan, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Bangladesh, Philippines, Thailand, Palestine, the Netherlands and Peru), was represented by 14 countries from the African region.
In her key remarks at the opening ceremony, Hon Beth Mugo thanked the International Committee on MCH Handbook for co-hosting the conference with the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation. The Minister highlighted the challenges faced by the country in achieving the MDG 4 and 5 goals. Kenya has made some progress in the reducing child and maternal mortality in recent years, but the country is still not at target in achieving the MDG 4 and 5 goals.
Kenya launched the MCH handbook in April 2010 for nationwide use and is one of the very first countries in the region to develop and use the combined MCH handbook. The handbook combines interventions for the mother during pregnancy, delivery, post-partum period and for her child until the age of five years and abolishes the need for separate documentation for mothers and children. It also incorporates health messages and promotes the health and well-being of mothers and children. The effective use of the handbook is expected to increase of high impact interventions for mothers and children.
The Minister further highlighted key achievements the country has made in improving maternal and child health including the integration of maternal and child health services to fully address these issues. She reported that maternal and child health clinics had been established throughout the country to ensure and promote “one-stop shops” for maternal and child health services. “This has provided a platform for improved quality of services offered to the mother and child and forms linkages between the pregnancy, delivery, immediate new-born care and continued care of both mother and child, thus contributing to reduction of maternal and child mortality”, reported Hon. Beth Mugo.
In addition, the Minister described the MCH handbook as a powerful tool to deliver and document these integrated maternal and child health services, which include, but are not limited to immunization; growth monitoring; provision of ITNs, PMTCTs and ART; post-natal care and family planning services for the mother; and nutritional counselling for the mother and child. Finally, Hon Mugo took the opportunity to welcome all participants and dignitaries to Nairobi and wished them a safe and fruitful meeting.
A presentation on the global and regional maternal and child health situation with particular reference to progress on MDG 4 and 5 was given by WHO Country Representative, Dr Custodia Mandlhate at the opening ceremony.
Dr Mandlhate took participants through the status of the African region where most countries are reportedly not on target to achieving their set target goals. She called upon countries that have made no or little progress in achieving MDGs 4 and 5 to accelerate their efforts and actions in achieving set target goals. Dr Mandlhate also called for concerted efforts in strengthening of the health systems at all levels, with equitable and universal coverage of interventions. The WR finally called on all participants to advocate for the use of the MCH handbook.
Remarks from the International Committee of the MCH Handbook were delivered by the committee chair, Prof. Yasuhide Nakamura. Prof Nakamura again reiterated the importance of the MCH handbook in improving the quality of life of mothers, children, and their families and urged all to promote its use. Others who spoke at the opening ceremony include Prof. Miriam Were, a Laurent of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize and a renowned advocate of the MCH Handbook in the African Region. Prof. Were emphasized the importance of the MCH handbook and called on the adoption of the handbook for countries that had not already done so.
The conference ended with the development and adoption of a call to action by participating countries and delegates on the need to accelerate effective use of the MCH handbook to accelerate achievements of MDGs 4 and 5.
Kenya hosts 8th International Conference on MCH Handbook
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