High maternal deaths worry health PS
ZANIS- Ministry of health Permanent Secretary Lackson Kasonka says the government has facilitated the introduction of new nursing and midwifery colleges to enhance quality delivery of health services to the people.
ZANIS reports that Professor Kasonka was speaking during the launch of Seed Global Health-Lusaka College of Nursing and Midwifery in Lusaka which will see Seed Global Health support Midwifery training services for five years at the school.
Professor Kasonka has since commended the Seed Global Health for coming on board to support nurses and midwives in the clinical setting, saying it will help reduce maternal deaths, which currently stands at 252 deaths per 100,000 live births.
“ Clinical education is an essential component in the education of Nursing and Midwifery as it reduces Maternal deaths in the country, ” he said.
Professor Kasonka said the partnership training by Seed Global Health of Nurses and Midwifery will meet the World Health organisation (WHO) recommendation of at least 4.2 midwives per 1,000 population.
Meanwhile, Seed Global Health Country Director, Bassim Birkland, said his organisation believes in a future in which every country has a robust health workforce that is able to meet the health needs of its population.
Mr Bassim, said good health is fundamental to not only survive, but also to thrive as a country.
“As Seed Global Health, our goal is to catalyse lasting change in health systems, hence our resolve to form deep local partnerships that improves our work in our partner countries of Malawi, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia,” he said.
Earlier in her welcoming remarks, Lusaka College of Nursing and Midwifery principal, Prisca Mukonka, expressed gratitude to the Ministry of health for choosing her College to partner with Seed Global Health in training Midwifery Students.
She said the move will translate into quality delivery of health services to the people of Zambia.
Dr Mukonka said the coming of Seed Global Health, is timely to the College as it will enhance quality of education at the institution.