Maputo, 22 September 2006

At the Special Session of the Conference of African Union Ministers of Health, meeting this week in Maputo, Mozambique, Ministers have agreed to adopt a plan which will help African nations reduce poverty levels with an uncompromising evidence based approach to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to reduce maternal mortality, combat HIV/AIDS and reduce infant and child mortality.

The plan’s main focus is the integration of sexual and reproductive health services (SRH) into primary healthcare; its implementation will improve reproductive health conditions for millions of women across the continent.

Maternal and child death and illness is decimating communities across Africa and stalling economic progress. The lifetime risk of maternal death in Africa is a staggering 1 in 20, higher than any other region of the world, and Africa accounts for nearly 50 percent of all global maternal deaths.

With women in Africa being over 200 times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth than women in the United Kingdom, both the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and Oxfam applaud Health Ministers for their foresight and commitment to reducing the burden of maternal and child mortality across Africa.

IPPF, through its Africa Regional Office in Nairobi, UNFPA and other key organizations, collaborated with the African Union in the process which led to the adoption of this plan. Different from previous efforts, this plan provides cost estimates for the implementation of programmes which will help Ministers plan their country’s health budgets and target priorities.

Recent IPPF calculations show that the economic impact of maternal mortality and morbidity alone in Sub-Saharan Africa exceeded $4.6 billion in 2001 – this is 1.4% of annual GDP in the region.

Just by decreasing maternal mortality rates, many African countries will improve their economic prosperity. “Poor reproductive health obstructs the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals on maternal health, education, AIDS and gender equality,” said Regional Director Tewodros Melesse of IPPF’s Africa Regional Office.

“The adoption of this continental Plan of Action is a significant step towards providing reproductive and health services to women and men, by establishing and strengthening pre-natal, delivery and post-natal services, and by helping to empower women.”

And Oxfam’s Pan-Africa Policy Officer, Eve Odete added that “despite repeated government commitments, at least 250,000 women die each year in Africa due to inadequate access to quality health services, unsafe abortions, and problems encountered in pregnancy and childbirth. However, we welcome governments’ latest effort to really start addressing the SRH issues of their citizens.”

African leaders had already committed to protect the right to health in a series of international and continental legal protocols and declarations since 2001. However, it was in Botswana last year that the Health Ministers, recognizing that African countries are not likely to achieve the MDGs without improving the SRH needs of the people of Africa, adopted the Continental Policy Framework on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

Ministers of Health agreed to meet this year in Maputo for a Special Session, devoted to discussing an evidence-based and cost-effective Plan of Action to assist countries in implementing the framework. This plan is now known as the Plan of Action for Implementing the Continental Policy Framework for the Promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

Both Oxfam and IPPF welcome a more holistic approach to the reproductive needs of people living in Africa and look forward to supporting African governments in implementing this important policy framework.

For media queries:
Jennifer Woodside,
IPPF
jwoodside@ippf.org
            +44 7971 270796       

Paul Bell
IPPF
pbell@ippf.org  
            +44 207 939 8233       

Viriato Chevane
Oxfam
Mozambique
vchivane@oxfam.org.uk  
            +258 82 601 5930       

Further information: The key strategies for implementing the SRH Policy Framework are:

• Integrating HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, and SRHR programmes and services.
  Fact: HIV is predominately a sexually transmitted disease disproportionately affecting women in Africa, delivering HIV/AIDS services through Family Planning services works
• Repositioning family planning as an essential part of reaching the health-related MDGs on reducing maternal mortality, combating HIV/AIDS, reducing child mortality and promoting gender equality and empowering women.
  Fact: pregnancy intervals of less than six months are associated with a 150 per cent increased risk of maternal death
• Addressing the SRH needs of youth.
  Fact: most current family planning efforts are targeted at married couples, yet there is an urgent need to address the 1.1 billion young people and adolescents currently living in the world
• Addressing unsafe abortion, a major cause of maternal death in Africa.
  Fact: 70,000 women every year die from unsafe abortion, of these over 96% live in the developing world
• Delivering quality and affordable services in order to promote maternal, newborn and child health.
  Fact: annual rate of infant and child mortality is approximately 10 million deaths
• Cooperation and partnership to attain the MDGs in Africa.

IPPF is both a service provider and an advocate of sexual and reproductive health and rights. We are a worldwide network of 150 Member Associations active in 182 countries

Oxfam is a development, relief, and campaigning organisation that works with others to find lasting solutions to poverty and suffering around the world.

IPPF is grateful for the support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation which has enabled a number of IPPF’s African Member Associations to attend this important meeting.