Zanzibar bolsters Community health workers‘ capacity in reducing maternal, child deaths
ZANZIBAR: THAMINI Uhai Organisation has held a meeting with senior officials from the Zanzibar Ministry of Health to bolster the capacity of leaders and healthcare providers in implementing interventions aimed at reducing maternal deaths during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as newborn deaths.
Speaking during the training, Deputy Director for Health Promotion and Education at the Ministry of Health, Dr Fatma Kabole, said cooperation between the government and health stakeholders was essential to the successful implementation of strategies aimed at improving healthcare services, particularly for pregnant women and newborns.
She said the government was continuing to place emphasis on strengthening preventive health services and raising public awareness about the importance of seeking healthcare early, particularly among pregnant women, in order to reduce maternal deaths.
Dr Kabole said the initiative was part of government efforts to ensure women receive appropriate care throughout pregnancy and childbirth, while potential complications that could endanger the lives of mothers and babies are identified and addressed early.
For her part, Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the Zanzibar Ministry of Health, Mwanaisha Juma Fakih, said the training was important in reminding health officials of their responsibility to ensure pregnant women receive quality care from pregnancy through to childbirth.
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She said nursing and midwifery play a critical role in reducing maternal and newborn deaths, stressing the need to continue strengthening the capacity of healthcare providers and systems that help pregnant women reach health facilities on time.
Meanwhile, Obstetrician and Director of Projects at Thamini Uhai, Sande Domeniko, said reducing maternal and newborn deaths requires the concerted efforts of all stakeholders in the health sector.
She said the health sector could not achieve its targets of reducing maternal and newborn deaths without joint efforts involving the government, healthcare providers, organisations and communities.
For her part, Zanzibar Community Health Workers Coordinator, Halima Ali Khamis, said community health workers play an important role in monitoring the health of pregnant women and encouraging them to attend antenatal clinics on time.
She said the workers also help parents reach health facilities when they require additional care, particularly when they identify symptoms or complications requiring attention from healthcare professionals.
“Community health workers play an important role because they are close to the people. This enables them to identify challenges early and advise communities to take action before the situation becomes serious,” she said.
She said strengthening the participation of community health workers was important in increasing public awareness and ensuring pregnant women access healthcare services on time, a step that could contribute to reducing maternal and newborn deaths in Zanzibar.
