United Kingdom (UK) Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell has announced £5.83M (Sh 976M) funding for a new Maternal and Newborn Health programme that will benefit Kenya and other countries.
Mitchell announced the funding during the 57th Session of the Commission on Population and Development, in New York on Monday April 29.
In a statement sent to the newsrooms, funding through Vodafone will set up m-mama an emergency transport system in Kenya, using mobile technology to connect pregnant women to care when they need it during pregnancy and childbirth.
The funding will also go towards strengthening grassroots organisations, focused on most marginalised women and increasing the capacity of local midwifery.
“Sexual and reproductive health and rights are not just about individual well-being, it’s about building stronger, healthier communities. Our £5.83 million(Sh 976M) investment for a new UK programme will focus on the most marginalised women, strengthen capacity of local midwifery and support governments to create emergency transport systems for pregnant women. Together, we are building a brighter future where every mother and child has the chance to thrive,” said Mitchell.
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During the session, the UK government and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) joined global leaders to call for renewed commitment towards progress on eradicating preventable maternal and newborn deaths.
Over the past two decades, significant strides have been made in improving maternal and newborn health worldwide, evidenced by a 34% decline in maternal mortality.
However, midway on the journey to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), progress on reducing maternal mortality - and investment in sexual and reproductive health rights – have stagnated.
Statistics indicate that one woman and nearly five newborns still die every two minutes from preventable pregnancy and childbirth complications.
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