GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—Caribbean Group (CARICOM) Secretary Normal Dr. Carla Barnett referred to as on stakeholders throughout the Area on Monday to accentuate efforts to offer common entry to high quality maternal healthcare.
In a message marking World Well being Day 2025, Barnett mentioned the theme for the event spotlights maternal and new child well being and the longer-term well-being of ladies.
World Well being Day 2025 is being noticed below the theme “Wholesome Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.”
She mentioned that the Area had made good progress in decreasing new child and baby mortality and that in 2022, the neonatal and under-five mortality charges have been in step with the United Nations Sustainable Improvement Aim (SDG) goal, at 12 deaths per 1,000 reside births and 18 deaths per 1,000 reside births, respectively.
She mentioned additional that Caribbean nations have been licensed as having eradicated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and Syphilis (EMTCT).
“We should work to keep up these positive aspects. The work of the Pan Caribbean Partnership In opposition to HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) has been important to this progress,” he mentioned, including, “There may be far more work to be accomplished.
“I urge all stakeholders to accentuate efforts to offer common entry to high quality maternal healthcare. Addressing the numerous threat elements that ladies face throughout being pregnant, together with socioeconomic standing, training, ethnicity, and geographical location, is important.”
Barnett mentioned that the goal of decreasing maternal mortality to beneath 70 per 100,000 reside births is inside attain, saying diligent, collective motion will make sure that all girls within the CARICOM nations could have equitable entry to safer and evidence-based reproductive well being practices.
“Continued funding to strengthen our healthcare infrastructure and techniques, together with antenatal and postnatal care, neighborhood well being initiatives, and a workforce that helps reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and baby well being providers are key issues. So, too, is empowering girls, by means of well being and reproductive rights training, to put the groundwork for more healthy futures for his or her youngsters and households.”
Barnett mentioned that the Caribbean Group stands at a important juncture in its collective journey towards bettering well being outcomes for moms and newborns.
She mentioned the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic adversely impacted the Area’s well being techniques and disrupted its hard-won progress. Local weather-related challenges proceed, “however the classes realized function a name to motion to safeguard the way forward for our households and communities.
”CARICOM stays steadfast in its dedication to advancing maternal and baby well being as a important element of the Area’s well being and improvement agenda, working with our Ministries of Well being, the Regional Nursing Physique, and bilateral and multilateral improvement companions.”
She mentioned that in March, the CARICOM Secretariat supported the launch of a brand new initiative from the Pan American Well being Group (PAHO) to strengthen methods for eliminating key maternal and baby well being ailments.
Barnett mentioned the Guyana-based Secretariat will proceed supporting regional initiatives prioritizing maternal and baby well being and the survival of newborns.
”The dedication to realize the SDGs, exactly Aim 3, which strives to finish preventable deaths of moms and kids, have to be unwavering. Allow us to draw inspiration from our resilient communities and devoted healthcare employees and proceed to create the trail to a future the place each mom and baby thrives,” she added.
