By Adama Makasuba
President Adama Barrow has told Gambians on Thursday that his administration is committed to reducing maternal and under 5 years’ deaths during births and pregnancy.
Macrotrend 2017 survey shows at least 597.00, mothers died either during giving birth or pregnancy.
“On maternal and child health services, my government is committed to the reduction of under-five and maternal mortality. In the interim, significant gains have been registered recently for both infant mortality and under-five mortality. Equally, deliveries conducted by skilled birth attendants in health facilities have increased,” President Barrow said in his SoNA speech.
He added that his administration “is determined to provide free immunisation services to all children in the country. As evidence, this year, my government contributed Thirty-Two Million Dalasis (D32,000,000. 00) towards immunisation services.”
“The Gambia is one of the few countries in Africa that have successfully piloted the use of the HPV vaccine. The vaccine reduces the risk factors of girls and women from contracting HPV, which has a strong link with the deadly Cervical Cancer.”
The maternal mortality is the annual number of female deaths per 100,000 live births from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management -excluding accidental or incidental causes.