BY MESERET BEHAILU
ADDIS ABABA –The Ministry of Health (MoH) has announced that it is working harder on reducing infant and maternal mortality rate meaningfully and achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.)
MoH Maternal, Child and Adolescent Lead Executive Officer Meseret Zelalem (MD) told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the ministry has been working hard to reduce the death of children and mothers through various mechanisms.
As to her, the ministry has planned to reduce the number of infant mortality from 33/1000 by 12 % and maternal mortality rate from 401/100,000 to 140 or 70 /100,000 in 2030. Recently, the UN has made a 20 years point estimate analysis and showcased that Ethiopia has reached 267/100,000 in maternal death rate at present despite the number was not confirmed by Ethiopia.
She further stated that the ministry is working to reduce the number of children who die before their one year old to 20 % and the number of children who die before 5 to 30%. In a similar manner, it is working on reducing the number of children who die within 28 weeks (prenatal) and the first seven days, as well as stillbirths, to 12 percent.
She also noted that the level of infant and maternal mortality rate was reduced by 62% and 72 % respectively, according to the national census conducted in 2016. The ministry will reveal the exact performance of the general infant and maternal mortality rate after conducting the survey very soon.
“Giving vaccination, keeping cleanliness, providing nutrition, servicing all-inclusive treatment, operating health institutions, and advising the mothers to feed burst milk for their children are among the feasible investments to reduce infant mortality rate across Ethiopia,” she added.
She pointed out that the ministry has been giving vaccination on polio, Meningitis, Measles, and the likes to save children from diseases and make their future a bright one. Moreover, Ethiopia has given due attention to reduce infant and maternal mortality rate with a view to realizing sustainable growth and prosperity in the years to come.
It is to be recalled that the ministry has disclosed that the coverage of children under two years of age who receive monthly enhanced growth monitoring has reached 57 percent over the last 9 months. The level of using family planning program has reached 72 % over the past nine months, which is better compared with that of the past similar period recording,68 %.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 6 JUNE 2023
