STATEMENT 

THE LAUNCHING OF THE UNICEF

STATE OF THE WORLD CHILDREN'S REPORT 2009

ON THE THEME: MATERNAL AND NEWBORN HEALTH 

BY

HER EXCELLENCY, MADAM ZINEB JAMMEH,

FIRST LADY OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA 

HELD AT

THE ATLANTIC CORINTHIA HOTEL, BANJUL ,

Chairperson,

Dignitaries,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen

All other protocols duly observed

It is with great pleasure that I accept the invitation of the Ministry of Health & Social Welfare to jointly launch the "THE UNNICEF STATE OF THE WORLD CHILDREN 'S REPORT 2009". I remain a staunch advocate for Maternal & Newborn Health.

Maternal and Newborn Health cannot be more fitting as a theme when considered in the overall context of socio-economic and national development. This moment provides us with a unique opportunity to review the range of health problems that affect women and their families. It also brings in to focus social issues such as the lack of education, lack of decision making power, discrimination and violence against women, which can lead to or worsen women's poor reproductive health.

Chairperson, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Why the theme: Maternal and Newborn Health?

Indeed it is evident that, the complications of pregnancy and childbirth remain the major cause of disability and death among women in child bearing age and girls, globally with a Maternal Mortality Ratio of 940 per 100,000 live births. Accordingly, for every one maternal death, 20-30 more women suffer long term illness/disability from pregnancy and childbirth complications. The lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy complication is 1 in 16 for developing countries, and 1 in 2,800 in developed countries - a true reflection of the wide disparity between the rich and poor nations.

On the other hand, global estimates revealed that 4 million babies die each year accounting for 2-thirds of all infant deaths, with 96% of these deaths occurring in developing countries, giving a death rate of 45 newborns per 1000 live births annually.

Chairperson, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Maternal and health can be achieved: if skilled birth attendants or Midwives monitor all pregnancies, labour and postpartum women; if timely access to quality emergency obstetric care is available in most of the Rural Health Facilities and if capacities of individuals, families and communities are strengthened on maternal and newborn health issues. My operation Save a Baby Initiative, the vision 2010 Initiative of First Ladies on Maternal and Newborn Morbidity and Mortality Reduction in West and Central Africa , OAFLA and quite recently, Synergy African are interventions aimed at attaining the health-related MDGs 4, 5 and 6 respectively.

Chairperson, Dignitaries, Distinguished ladies and Gentlemen

My Husband President Professor Jammeh and his Government will remain steadfast in his policies and programmes to uplift the health and well-being of Gambians and I call on all Development Partners and individuals both locally and externally to lend support towards improving the quality of health services for the ultimate attainment of the health related Millennium Development Goals and Targets before Year 2015. Latest evidence based reports from the Ministry of Health and social Welfare and the Gambia Bureau of Statistics 2003 revealed a downward trend in Maternal, Infant and Child mortality as disclosed by the Assistant Director of Family Health and Disease Control, although current levels remain unacceptably high. Therefore, the countdown to year 2015 calls for more proactive action in a coordinated and cohesive manner to ensure access to quality maternal newborn and child health at all levels.

"To save children's lives we need to address the health of their mothers: there is an inextricable link between maternal and infant survival."

Saving the lives of mothers and their newborns requires more than just medical intervention; it requires an environment that empowers women and respects their rights, including the education of the girl-child.

"Being pregnant and giving birth should not be a death sentence. We owe at least this much to the women of the world."

As we are about to launch this Report on the State of the World Children, I take this opportunity to join the people of The Gambia and the rest of the world in observance of the Day of the AFRICAN CHILD, today, 16 th June 2009 and pray that their soul rest in perfect peace.

I now have the singular honour to formally launch THE STATE OF THE WORLD CHILDREN REPORT 2009 on Maternal and Newborn Health in The Gambia.

I thank you for your kind attention

God bless the Nation!!

-End.