Chisankane health project in US$445,663 grant
JAPANESE Ambassador Hidenobu Sobashima and Association for Aid and Relief (AAR) acting country representative Daisuke Kanamori have signed a grant contract of US$445,663 for the implementation of maternal and child health projects in Chisankane, Kafue District.
Ambassador Sobashima said Japan was keen to promote resilient health systems to improve people’s lives and to achieve universal health coverage for Zambia and Africa as a whole.
He said reducing mortality of pregnant mothers and new born babies was of key importance to his government and that he hoped to see a reduced child mortality rate during his tenure as ambassador to Zambia.
“The Japanese government attaches key importance to the lives of expectant mothers and new born babies, and reducing the mortality rate to a significate zero is one of our aims for Zambia and I hope to see this during my stay here as Ambassador to Zambia, ”he said.
Mr Sobashima appreciated AAR for the health care the organisation was providing to Zambia particularly in helping to reduce the mortality rate of pregnant mothers and new born babies in the Chisankane area.
He added that the grant given was intended for the construction of a waiting facility at the old Kabweza health post, and for procurement of beds, blankets, equipment and for the mobilisation of skilled birth attendants and medical personnel.
Mr Kanamori said that Chisankane needed support as the area had limited access to basic maternity and child health services.
He said that Chisankane area had average ratio of 15.6% of mothers delivering at a health facility, compared to 67.4% for the national average of institutional delivery, while the antenatal attendance rate was also as low as 44.2% while the national average of 95.7%.
“It is our determination to tackle this situation that is why were had to seek financial assistance to help develop a maternal and child health project in Chisankane area in Kafue district and we hope to complete the project in the three years times,” he said. He also said that the grant would help train neighborhood health committee members who would help capture and address health-related challenges within the communities and give guidance to fellow community members.