African Lawmakers Champion "Three Zeros" Agenda for Maternal and Child Health

Lawmakers from across Africa have made a strong push for accelerated action on maternal, newborn, and child health at the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly. The continent’s “Three Zeros” agenda, aiming for zero preventable maternal and newborn deaths, zero unvaccinated children, and zero home deliveries without skilled care, was central to discussions.

Discussions highlighted the critical role of parliamentarians in translating political pledges into tangible health improvements. Tanzania’s National Assembly Speaker, Mussa Azzan Zungu, emphasized that parliaments must strengthen legislation, ensure adequate financing, and hold governments accountable for health program implementation.

Despite progress, the pace of reducing maternal mortality in Africa remains too slow to meet global targets. Data indicates that while maternal deaths have decreased, Africa still accounts for approximately 70% of global maternal fatalities. “At the current pace, Africa would not be able to reach the Sustainable Development Goal target of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births until around 2050,” stated Ummy Mwalimu, Presidential Adviser on Reproductive and Health in Tanzania.

Experts identified key challenges including inadequate financing for programs, insufficient skilled healthcare workers, and a lack of reliable data to guide interventions. The need for stronger accountability systems and improved quality of care was also stressed.

African parliamentarians are urged to utilize their legislative, budgetary, and oversight powers to ensure health commitments translate into improved services for all citizens, particularly vulnerable women and children. The focus is on moving the “Three Zeros” agenda from political discourse to practical, community-level impact.

Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/376587/african-lawmakers-push-three-zeros-agenda-at-153rd-ipu-assembly