.Every minute, 8 children die from easily preventable or treatable conditions

“It is estimated that 12,000 children die every day in Africa .Every minute, 8 children die from easily preventable or treatable conditions, 2 of them newborns.” African Union’s social affairs department representative; Byaruhanga said as she presented, the overview of the theme of the 15th AU Summit, Kampala ,19-27 July 2010 `Maternal, infant and child health and development in Africa, to the participants of AU-CSO Pre- summit meeting.
She went on to say that, a woman in Africa has a 1 in 16 chances of dying in pregnancy or childbirth. Almost 90% of all child deaths are attributable to just six conditions: neonatal causes, pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, and HIV/AIDS. Malnutrition contributes to more than 35 per cent of child deaths. Malaria threatens a disproportionately high percentage of the population in Africa, with about 350 million episodes annually.
“The GDP loss in Africa due to HIV/AIDS is estimated to be between 0.5% and 2.6% annually. In countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis, economic loss is estimated at between 4% and 7% of GDP annually. Due to the high prevalence of malaria in the past 30 years, Africa’s GDP lost as much as USD 100 billion. More than 90% of the 430,000 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections in children each year occur in Africa, where HIV-1 acquisition through breast milk accounts for more than 40% of infections.” She said
Byaruhanga said that the above situation is caused by,weak health systems ,delays at different levels in accessing health services ,lack of emergency neonatal and obstetric care ,inadequate Family planning services ,complication of unsafe abortions ,inadequate skilled human resources, socio-cultural barriers to accessing health care, inadequate investment in health and social development compounded by over dependency on external funding, inadequate food security and malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, other communicable diseases, non communicable diseases and neglected tropical diseases.
Global efforts have to be appreciated Byaruhanga reminded the participants as she mentioned some of these efforts like MDGs, 8 September 2000, at the Millennium Summit Commitment: We will spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected. We are committed to making the right to development a reality for everyone and to freeing the entire human race from want then linked nature of MDGs, the ICPD (1994 ) BEIJING PLATFORM (1995) COPENHAGEN WSSD (1995)
Africa’s efforts like Current summit theme choice, Position paper to the G20 Canada recently, adoption of policy instruments, Continental efforts (policy instruments), Health Strategy (2007-2015) which serves as an overarching framework to enable coherence between countries, civil society and the international community and is aimed at strengthening health systems for equity and development. It sets out a clear vision for health- An integrated and prosperous Africa free of its heavy burden of disease, disability and premature death and a mission call for Accelerated Action on Africa Fit for Children which highlighted the issue of child survival and development. The AU Commission has completed a report on the State of the African Child which will serve as a useful reference tool for enriching the work of the African Committee of Experts.

Africa Regional Nutrition Strategy (2005-2015) whose main purpose is to advocate and sensitize African leaders about the essential role of nutrition and food security in socio-economic development. The African Task Force on Food and Nutrition Development (ATFFND) has been established to serve as the advisory arm of the African Union in supporting Member States to implement the strategy.Abuja Call for Accelerated Action towards Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Services by the AU Heads of State and Government in 2006, significant progress has been made by Member States. This has been revealed in the 5-Year Review of the Abuja Call for Accelerated Action towards Universal Access to HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Services that was conducted in 2010 in pursuance of the mandate of the AU Heads of State and Government [Assembly/AU/Dec.115 (VII)].
Continental Policy Framework on SRHR and the Maputo Plan of Action (MPoA for its implementation, adopted by the policy/decision-making organs of the AU in 2006 and 2007-designed as Africa’s contribution to the implementation of the Programmes of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), aimed at accelerating action on the implementation of the MDGs, particularly those related to health, including MDGs 4, 5 and 6.
AU CARMMA (May 2009)-advocacy strategy aimed at accelerating the availability and use of universally accessible quality health services which are critical for the reduction of maternal mortality. The focus is to ensure accountability, coordination and effective implementation of existing plans and strategies. 17 countries have launched since May 2009 to date

“The key messages as we start off pre-activities for the AU summit are, let us deliberate on cost-effective measures with high impact that will accelerate the reduction of maternal and newborn and child mortality. The sharing of experiences amongst the Heads of State and Government on successful practices and what works in their countries will take us a long way.CARMMA can continue to be used to accelerate reduction of maternal and child mortality through national ownership. Challenges faced in reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality rate in Africa with a particular focus, among others on: delivery of quality, comprehensive, integrated and affordable primary health care services in order to assure continuum of care, promote safe motherhood, child survival, and women, newborn and child health. The impact of nutrition, food, and sanitation on maternal, newborn and child health; of Mother to Child (PMTC) transmission of HIV/AIDS. Byaruhanga ended.
The AU CSO pre-meeting at Imperial Royale Hotel Kampala Uganda was yesterday officially opened by Major General (Rtd) Hon Kahinda Otafire, Minister for trade and tourism. In his key note address the minister said that a platform such as this one where CSOs engage African governments on important issues like maternal, infant, child health and development in Africa has been long over due…..” He also regretted to say that “Although African government committed themselves to allocate a 15%increase in their respective budgets towards health issues in 2001 most of the governments are still wanting on this promise” He once agin wished the participants good deliberations and he concluded his address with the panafrican movment mmotto “Don’t agonize, Organize! One struggle, Many fronts”