Health Ministers from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have called for the passage of safe abortion laws in member states as part of efforts to reduce the high maternal mortality rate (MMR) in the sub-region.
The call is contained in a communique issued after the First Extraordinary Assembly of ECOWAS Health Ministers, held in southeast Nigeria's Cross Rivers State.
The ministers said in the communique made available to Xinhua in Lagos on Monday that the abortion laws will reflect the social context of the respective ECOWAS member states.
They see unsafe abortion was a contributory factor to high MMR, saying that abortion laws would reduce pregnancy-related death among women.
The ministers also said the importance of involving men in family planning interventions as part of strategies to address the issues of maternal, newborn and child health.
They called on West African Health Organization (WAHO) to identify best practices in maternal, newborn and child health and disseminate same practices among member states.
They also called for the development of a common strategic plan for the attainment of the MDGs.
The ministers identified tools for health systems strengthening, which include human resource for health, logistics management system and policy development.
Others tools include data generation and operations management strengthening as key to improving maternal, newborn and child health.
The assembly called on WAHO to develop implementation plans for the various declarations and resolutions adopted by member states on maternal, newborn and neonatal health and priorities specific areas that will form the basis of a roadmap.
On health insurance, the ministers urge WAHO to support member states financially and technically to implement the scheme as a means of health financing.
The ministers proposed a special summit of ECOWAS Heads of State to discuss maternal, newborn and child health issues and that finance ministers should be involved.
According to the ministers, this would underscore the Abuja commitment of 15 per cent allocation to the health sector and five percent to reproductive health.
They also proposed that a special fund be established to address the issues of maternal and infant mortality in the sub-region.
The ministers emphasized the need to review the training curricula of health institutions in ECOWAS to address the attitudes and the ethos of health personnel as part of the approach to improving the quality of human resources for maternal, newborn and child health.
They called on WAHO to consider the use of telemedicine as a strategy for improving human resources for health.
Source: Xinhua, 27 October 2009