Amref Health Africa [to 15 November 2014]

World Prematurity Day- November 17, 2014
Amref Health Africa warns that there will be no improvement in child survival if premature deaths are not addressed
…World Prematurity Day is observed annually to raise awareness of the concerns surrounding preterm babies and their families worldwide. On this third World Prematurity Day, Amref Health Africa renews its commitment to working hand in hand with governments, development partners and civil society organisations to:
:: Conduct research and explore innovations to inform and improve the quality and reach of prematurity management programmes
:: Work hand in hand with the relevant regulatory bodies and training institutions to build skills of frontline health workers using innovative training approaches that do not take them away from their work for too long
:: Implement and advocate priority, evidence-based interventions including family planning strategies and provision of adolescent-friendly services, and prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections such as HIV and syphilis
:: Increase health education and health promotion among girls and women
:: Promote healthy nutrition including micronutrient fortification
:: Address life-style risks such as smoking, and environmental ones like indoor air pollution

Amref Health Africa realises that governments are solely responsible for ensuring the right to health for their citizenry. Our role is to support the governments to meet this objective. To that extent, Amref Health Africa urges governments as well as their development partners to meet the following obligations for improving prematurity survival:
:: Allocate adequate resources for family planning and increased empowerment of women and adolescents
:: Improve quality of care before, between and during pregnancy to reduce preterm birth rates
:: Ensure frontline workers are skilled in the care of premature babies and improve supplies of life-saving commodities and equipment
:: Ensure universal access to comprehensive antenatal care, quality childbirth services and emergency obstetric and newborn care
:: Invest in research addressing multiple biological, clinical, and social-behavioral risk factors associated with prematurity…