With the support from Sweden, UNICEF facilitated the renovation of seven NICU’s and provided health equipment to the Ministry of Health with a total value of USD 1,500,000
LUSAKA, Zambia, 28 September 2023
UNICEF, in partnership with Sweden, officially handed over renovated Neonatal Intensive Care Units and maternal and newborn health equipment with a total value of USD 1,500,000 to the University Teaching Hospital’s (UTH) Children’s wing at a ceremony with Provincial Health Director-Lusaka Province, Dr Asfa S. Choonga. The support has also been extended to upgrading six other hospitals in the country earmarked to be centres of excellence in offering care to newborn babies through the provision of supplies, equipment, trainings and mentorship support.
“This contribution from Sweden through UNICEF will help tremendously in improving the coverage and quality of perinatal and essential newborn care in Zambia. The support includes procurement of very much needed medical equipment and training of doctors and nurses to strengthen essential service provision,” said Dr Asfa S. Choonga, Provincial Health Director- Lusaka Province.
The partnership, through centres of excellence across seven hospitals in Lusaka, Eastern, Southern, Muchinga and Luapula provinces of Zambia will boost the quality of essential newborn care services to an estimated 30,000 newborns every year.
“Sweden is committed to accelerating progress on maternal, newborn and child survival in Zambia and globally. We know that the first 28 days of life, what is called the neonatal period, is the most vulnerable time for a child’s survival. If we want to continue reducing under five mortality, focusing on newborns is critical. Hence, the importance of this intervention which strengthens Neonatal Intensive Care Units,” highlighted the Ambassador of Sweden to Zambia, H.E. Johan Hallenborg, while adding: “The path to the Sustainable Development Goals lies in high quality, respectful, universal care for our mothers and newborn babies, across the life cycle.”
The centre of excellence at UTH Children’s Hospital was supported with repair and renovation works to upgrade it to a 40-bed capacity NICU that can provide strengthened essential newborn care services. This new facility adds to the tertiary care capacity for small and sick newborns in Zambia. In addition, UNICEF is working closely with the Ministry of Health’s Women and Newborn Hospital team to also support strengthening of case management of pneumonia and diarrhoea including revision of treatment protocols.
“Every year in Zambia, 900 mothers die due to pregnancy or childbirth related complications; 16,000 newborn babies die before the first month of life and 10,000 babies are born dead. This is unacceptable, but it is definitely a problem that Zambia can solve. We have only seven years remaining to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and we need concerted efforts to accelerate the pace of decline for maternal and newborn deaths, ” stated UNICEF Zambia Representative, Dr. Penelope Campbell. “This is a whole of society and not just a health issue. Strong political leadership at the highest level is needed for a coordinated multisectoral response to improve the situation of mothers and newborns in Zambia. ”
The programme through the Ministry of Health, Sweden and UNICEF partnership has simultaneously addressed both the humanitarian needs of a public health emergency response for COVID-19 and the development efforts of sustaining the continuity of routine essential health services, including focusing on health system strengthening and systems resilience support.
In Zambia, infant and under-5 mortality levels have consistently decreased since 1996. Since 2013-14, infant mortality has remained essentially unchanged, 45 to 42 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018. Neonatal mortality has remained at approximately the same levels, from 24 to 27 deaths per 1,000 live births. Health outcomes for mothers and newborns require contribution of everyone, all stakeholders, including parliaments, local governments, civil society, and academia.
About UNICEF
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
For more information about UNICEF Zambia and its work for children, visit www.unicef.org/zambia
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About Sweden and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency
The Swedish development cooperation amounts to approximately 35 million USD annually, positioning Sweden as one of the major bilateral donors in Zambia. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) is Sweden’s government agency for development cooperation. Sida strive to reduce world poverty by allocating resources and knowledge with the goal of making a difference for people in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Sida work with actors from civil society and universities as well as the public and private sector to contribute to sustainable development globally.
For more information about Sweden in Zambia, visit www.swedenabroad.se/lusaka
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For more information, please contact:
Dr. Kalangwa Kalangwa, Acting Director, Health Promotion, Environment and Social Determinants, and Ministry of Health Spokesperson. Email: kkalangwa@gmail.com
Maria Fernandez, Chief, Communication, UNICEF Zambia, mfernandez@unicef.org
Antonia Grönvall, Communication Officer, Embassy of Sweden, +260 971 118 100, antonia.gronvall@gov.se
