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Guyana’s target to achieve the United Nation’s recommended Maternal Mortality Ratio of 80 per 100,000 by 2015 is one that will require accelerated solutions to counter existing problems faced by the health sector.This deduction was recently amplified by Director of Maternal and Child Health,Pistons #0 Andre Drummond Navy Stitched NBA Jersey, Janice Woolford,Nike Rams #99 Aaron Donald Royal Blue Alternate Mens Stitched NFL Elite Jersey, who made reference to the fact that problems have been encountered even as moves are made to improve maternal health.Maternal and Child Health Director, Dr Janice WoolfordShe was at the time making a presentation at a Maternal and Child Health Stakeholders’ meeting on Friday, at Grand Coastal Inn,Nike Cowboys #89 Gavin Escobar Navy Blue/White Throwback Mens Stitched NFL Elite Jersey, East Coast Demerara. The forum was held under the theme ‘A promise renewed for safe motherhood’. According to her, the theme represents a partnership with Government, civil society organizations, the interfaith community, individuals, development partners and the United Nations Agencies.She disclosed that the call to action, that is, ‘a promise renewed’, was launched in June last year, in the United States, an undertaking that was facilitated by a number of Governments and partners.She noted that the move is one that seeks to mobilise the world to end preventable deaths of women and children.Dr Woolford, during her presentation on Friday, noted that earnest efforts are being made by Guyana, like many other countries of the world, to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Four and Five which speak to the reduction of both maternal and infant mortality rates.According to her, the goals and targets are to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio from 320 per 100,000 in 1991 to less than 80 per 100,000 by 2015. Moves are also being made to reduce the under-five mortality rate from 75 per 1000 in 1990 to less than 20 per 1000 by 2015, even as the infant mortality rate is reduced from 45 per 1000 in 1990 to less than 16 per 1,000 by 2015.Efforts are also being directed towards the reduction of the Mother To Child Transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) from 7.1 percent in 2001 to less than two percent by 2015.The target for MDG Four is to reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015,Wholesale USA Soccer Jerseys, the under five mortality rate, according to Dr Woolford. The progress that has been made in this regard globally has seen the child mortality rate dropping by 50 per cent in the past decade.Detailing the achievements specific to Guyana, the MCH Director outlined that “the country has made very good progress in reducing child mortality and the country has already met the target of reducing the under-five mortality rate by two-thirds and aims to further improve its record of reducing child mortality.”She boasted of major successes in the areas of immunisation, nutrition and reduction of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness.Dr Woolford also underscored that if Guyana is to retain its MDG Four successes there is need to strengthen neonatal care, integrate the management of childhood illnesses, strengthen nutrition interventions and ensure that the rate of Mother to Child Transmission plummets to less than one per cent.Speaking to the MDG Five, which caters to improving Maternal Health, the target is to reduce the maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters by 2015, Dr Woolford asserted. “Overall Guyana has been making good progress towards improving maternal health and has succeeded in establishing a decreasing trend in the maternal mortality ratio nationwide.”But although Guyana’s MDGs Progress Report 2011 states that there is a mixed outlook on the target to achieve universal access to reproductive health care,Cheap NFL Jerseys, the country has the potential to meet the MDG target of reducing the maternal mortality by three-quarters, added the MCH Director.In attaining the MDGs,2014 Olympic Team USA #44 Brooks Orpik White Stitched NHL Jersey, she revealed that the Ministry of Health has not only developed but also implemented,Nike Steelers #11 Markus Wheaton White Mens NFL Pro Line Fashion Game Jersey, at the national and regional levels, a Maternal and Neonatal, Child Health Strategy 2011-2020.She said,Cheap Jerseys From China, “We are enforcing our regulations for reporting, as it relates to maternal health,Wholesale Jerseys China, and we also had training in the areas of obstetrics and paediatrics.”These areas, she disclosed, have been strengthened even as moves are made to implement and collaborate further with UN and other agencies.The stakeholders’ meeting on Friday saw the attendance of representatives from a number of international agencies including the United Nation’s Children Fund, the United Nation’s Population Fund and the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation. |
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