Brazzaville, 6 April 2005 -- Health is a fundamental human right. Yet, to a large number of women, newborns and children in Africa, this right is denied. Every 60 minutes, 130 newborns die in the African Region. In the same lapse of time, 60 women die of causes relating to pregnancy and childbirth.

Women, newborns and children in Africa die needlessly for lack of access to adequate care, when and where they need them. For each maternal death, there are between 20 and 30 women who suffer lifelong disability of the reproductive system. One out of every six children dies before the age of five years, which represents 4.7 million under-five deaths each year i.e. more than half of the total recorded worldwide.

This situation which the WHO Regional Director for Africa describes as a silent emergency <<is untenable given that the causes of those deaths and disabilities are mostly preventable>>.

In his message released on 7 April 2005, on the occasion of World Health Day, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo said "we need a paradigm shift in the way care is provided to mothers, newborns and children"

The World Health Day theme, <<Make every mother and child count>>, sends a message of hope, a promise of a more productive and healthier future" the Regional Director said.

"The knowledge and technical skills needed to respond to the critical health problems of mothers, newborns and children do exist"

The Regional Director went on to say that simple interventions like oral rehydration therapy have cut diarrhoea deaths by a half. Iodised salt, vitamin A and breastfeeding have saved countless children from death and disability. Child immunization has drastically reduced deaths from measles and eliminated neonatal tetanus in a number of countries.

"We must reach out to all mothers, all newborns and all children by using proven interventions that will make a lasting difference in their lives."

The Regional Director outlined a series of measure for promoting maternal and child health, especially:

• The continuum of quality care from pregnancy to childbirth and the post-portum period;
• Integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) which ensures close-to-client care for children and better care in referral facilities including hospitals; 
• Retraining, motivation, retention and appropriate redeployment of health workers to serve people in greatest need; 
• Promotion of congenial working environments that have appropriate policies and adequate regulatory framework, supplies, equipment, infrastructure and communication system; 
• Development of a long-term financing plan, at country level, to facilitate universal coverage based on provision of affordable, quality care in a context of social security;

"Countries are committed to encouraging community health-financing initiatives and promoting education of the girl child as a pre-requisite to enhancing the decision making capacity of women and improving their health".

"Investing in the health of mothers, newborns and children is a priority for saving lives and promoting the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals", the Regional Director said.

"If by intensifying our actions, we are able to provide care for all women, that alone will save at least the lives of half a million women and 1.5 million children and prevent 10 million cases of disability."

"We need to take immediate action. We should deliver on our promise to mothers, newborns and children so that, together, we can achieve sustainable and more productive development in Africa.

Media contact: 

Flavienne Issembe 

Public Information and Communication Unit 

WHO Regional Office for Africa 

Tel: 00-47-241 39352 

E-mail: issembef [at] afro.who.int (issembef[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)