Her Excellency the First Lady Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh on Tuesday presided over the national launching of UNICEF's State of the World Children's Report 2009 at the Corinthia Atlantic Hotel in Banjul. The theme for this year's Report is Maternal and NewBorn Health.
In her launching statement Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh noted that Operation Save A Baby Initiative, Vision 2010 Initiative of First Ladies on Maternal and Newborn Morbidity and Mortality in West and Central Africa amongst others are interventions aimed at attaining the health related MDGs 4, 5 and 6 respectively. The First Lady added that "to save children's lives we need to address the health of their mothers".
Speaking on the occasion the UNICEF Country Representative Madam Ming-Wee Kang said the report underscores the need to establish a comprehensive health care for mothers, newborns as well as children and it also examines partnership and collaborative initiatives aimed at improving maternal and neonatal health in Africa and Asia. While highlighting haemorrhage as the number one cause of maternal death Madam Kang laid emphasis on education, stating that education is pivotal to improving maternal and neonatal health and also in reducing the incidences of child marriage, poverty and hunger.
The World Health Organization Representative Bakary Jako revealed that the 4 sister bodies comprising WHO, UNFPA, UNICEF and World Bank will in the next 5 years endeavor to enhance support to countries with high maternal mortality by strengthening their health systems.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Mariatou Jallow said although The Gambia registered some success in the reduction of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality, the indicators signal that there is no room for complacency. The Assistant Director Family Health and Disease Control Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Ramou Cole-Ceesay called for multifaceted and concerted efforts to prevent maternal mortality and newborn deaths through the provision of quality reproductive health services.
The First Lady later visited the RVTH where she was taken on a conducted tour of the maternity wing of the Hospital.
Read the Full launching Statement by First Lady Madam Zineb Yahya Jammeh
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First Lady and Ming Wee Kang hold book covers on Maternal and Newborn Health. 
Madam Jammeh shares her love with a newborn baby at the maternity ward during a visit to the RVTH as part of the launching ceremony. 
Madam Jammeh shares her love with a newborn baby at the maternity ward during a visit to the RVTH as part of the launching ceremony. 