In Support of the Saving Lives Summit, Canada

World Vision Uganda staff

World Vision Uganda welcomes the Canadian Government’s announcement of a global event, hosted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, focused on achieving results in maternal, newborn and child health.  The event, scheduled for May 28-30, 2014, promises to bring experts, policy makers and leaders together in Canada to accelerate efforts to reduce preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths.

Remember we need to Act now to end preventable maternal and child deaths

 

 

Respectful maternal and newborn care: we need to do it better

Khamtan is her community’s only midwife. She’s on call day and night, in rainstorms and in the severe heat.

By: Mary Dunbar, Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Specialist; World Vision East Asia

What does every mother hope for when she thinks about the delivery of her baby?

It’s almost certain she wants to deliver her baby with a person she trusts, who is kind and has the skills to ensure her safety. She wants to be treated with dignity and respect, and with due consideration of her culture and beliefs. She hopes to be kept informed of her progress in labour and have a choice about what happens to her during her stay at the health facility.

Global Week of Action for Child Health: 1st to 8th May 2014

School children in Australia mobilise for the Global Week of Action

By: Andrew Hassett, Director of Global Campaigns; World Vision International

When Child Health Now was first launched back in 2009, only a handful of countries took part. Today, five years later, we have seen over 45 adopt it, run it and change the lives of children through it.

During 2012 we reached and positively impacted more than 35 million children, since October 2010 we have contributed to the change of 131 national and global policies and through our mobilisations, more than 2.5 million people have stood together in solidarity for child health. And in this time, the number of under-five preventable deaths has dropped from 9.2 million to 6.6 million.

Together we are making a difference to preventable deaths!

This week, with the start of World Vision’s second Global Week of Action for Child Health Now, we are expecting to see activity taking place in more than 65 countries continuing the work and the vision of the campaign.

Lack of data means millions of children die unseen and invisible, new report finds

New World Vision report challenges leaders to make every child count

Wednesday, 30 April – Children are dying unseen, uncounted and invisible to the health services that could save their lives, a new report released today finds. Uncounted and Unreached, published by international aid, development and advocacy organisation World Vision, details how countries and world leaders are failing to properly track vital data about children and their health.

The immunisation card – a lifesaver

World Immunisation Week begins today. The photo above is courtesy of our partner, the GAVI Alliance.

24 April 2014-  marks the first day of World Immunisation Week. Immunisation is widely regarded as one of the most successful and cost-effective health interventions.

During World Immunisation Week, we look at pictures from around the world which showcase the story of the immunisation card, its evolution and importance in saving children’s lives .The photos are courtesy of our partner, the GAVI Alliance.

Five African countries prepare to celebrate World Immunisation Week with the impending introduction of new vaccines. The GAVI Alliance is finalising plans to build on these successes with a major drive to increase access to vaccines and the impact of immunisation programmes by 2020.

Angola and the Republic of Congo plan to begin protecting their children against severe diarrhoea with the rotavirus vaccine while Tanzania expects to begin a demonstration project to protect girls from the leading cause of cervical cancer with the human papillomavirus vaccine. Next week, Madagascar plans to also introduce rotavirus vaccine and Togo expects to undertake a dual launch of rotavirus and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

GAVI CEO, Dr. Berkley, shares his reflections on World Immunisation Week.

The GAVI Alliance shares this news release in light of the launch of World Immunisation Week today.

Child Health Now is looking forward to partnering with the GAVI Alliance in the upcoming Global Week of Action which will run between the 1-8 May. The importance of immunisation for child and maternal health will be one of the areas highlighted during the week. Learn more about the Global Week of Action HERE.

Accelerate Action, Envision the Future: PMNCH Partners’ Forum 2014

By: Dr Carole Presern, Executive Director of The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH)

It is amazing to see that already more than 3.5 million people in 70 countries have taken action to call for all children to “survive 5” as part of the Global Week of Action. Thanks to these many dedicated partners including frontline healthworkers, women’s and children’s health and survival rates around the world are improving.

But we know the stark reality. An estimated 289,000 women still die in childbirth

Ten more districts get Pneumonia vaccine

Story by Taddeo Bwambale from Newvision news paper

publish date : 12th – March-2014

TEN more districts have started receiving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) rolled in January to prevent pneumonia among children below the age of five.
Distribution of the PCV vaccine started on January 14 in 94 out 112 districts.
The Director General of Health Services, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng on Wednesday disclosed that 10 out of the 18 remaining districts had satisfied requirements for receiving the vaccines.

Health workers trained to combat maternal and infant deaths

 Story by Francis Emorut & John Agaba New Vision News Paper

The education minister Jessica Alupo has lauded the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Examination Board for channeling out 3412 health workers to deliver health services in the country and abroad.
She said nurses and midwives are on high demand in the region and further across the borders.

The minister said this during the release of results for the nurses and midwives in 2013 academic year at the board’s offices in Ntinda, a Kampala suburb on Friday.

Districts blamed in failed pay for medics

By Raymond Baguma New Vision News  Paper

Districts have been cited for failing to submit relevant documentation under the integrated payroll system, which has affected payment of health workers’ salaries.Dr. Diana Atwine the director of the Medicine and Health Services Delivery Monitoring Unit (MHSDMU) was on Monday addressing journalists at Media Centre.She was responding to a statement made recently by the shadow health minister Dr. Lulume Bayiga that health workers have gone months without pay.

Pilot US initiative improves maternal health in Uganda

By Raymond Baguma New Vision News Paper
The number of mothers dying in pregnancy and during childbirth has declined in the last one year in 8 districts that are piloting a US-supported initiative providing emergency obstetric and newborn care.
An evaluation report of the Saving Mothers, Giving Life initiative reveals a 30 percent decrease in the maternal mortality ratio in the implementing districts of Kabarole, Kibaale, Kamwenge and Kyenjojo.