Japan has signed a 487, 290 United States Dollars commitment to promote women’s health throughout the life cycle at one-stop service site in Zambia.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Ambassador of Japan to Zambia Hidenobu Sobashima said the project will ensure improved access to health services in Masaiti District, Mpongwe District and Lufwanyama District of Copperbelt Province.
Mr. Sobashima said access to health facilities for women will be realized by developing what he described as one stop service facilities, and training members of Safe Motherhood Action Groups (SMAGs) and Peer Educators.
“This Project aims to improve access to health services for women in Masaiti District, Mpongwe District and Lufwanyama District of Copperbelt Province by developing One-Stop Service facilities which include a maternity waiting house and a youth center,” said Mr. Sobashima.
Speaking at the same event Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) General Project Ms. Manager Kumiko Goto said more efforts need to be put in place to achieve the goal set by National Development Strategy Plan 2017 to 2021 to reduce maternal mortality rate to 162 by 2021.
“Despite the decrease, challenges such as inequity in the distribution of service between urban and rural areas and inadequate community involvement of Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) still remains. More efforts need to be made to achieve the goal set by National Development Strategy Plan 2017 to 2021 to reduce MMR to 162 by 2021,” said the JOICFP Manager.
Ms. Goto further sent gratitude to Japan’s government including private partnership for their strong commitment and support to save the lives of mothers and children in Zambia.