Plan to combat women, children deaths underway

FATMA ABDU

Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu

IN an effort to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality, the government plans to build 170 health centres that will accommodate operating theatres and laboratories by June, next year.

Minister of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu, announced the plan when receiving a Universal Anaethetic Machine from White Ribbon Alliance held in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

The minister said that there were only 109 health centres with operation theatre across the country, as the government plans to increase the services to about 50 per cent by 2020.

“We expect by 2018 to have over 270 health centre housing operating theatres that will save the lives of mothers and children. The ministry will ensure there is enough specialists to provide services in order to improve healthcare of mothers and children,” Mwalimu said.

She added that the Universal Anaesthetic Machine donated by Guardian Health from the United States of America (USA) is an initiative by the government and development partners in ensuring women and children deaths are reduced to achieve the goal sustainable development.

The minister pointed out that the government has decided to invest heavily in addressing health challenges that will see the construction of theatres in health centres countrywide. She called on other stakeholders to support government efforts in ensuring health services are improved.

Permanent Sectretqry (PS) in the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr Mpoki Ulisubsya, said that anaesthetic machine “is very important since it helps to improve operation services.”

“We are happy to receive this machine in improving the provision of theatre services to our hospitals. We expect to have special specialists who will provide treatment through the machines, which need professionalism,” he said.

The coordinator of the White Ribbon Alliance, Ms Rose Mlay, said that Universal Anaesthetic machine, worth 60m/- would help reduce women and children deaths.