The First Lady Jeannette Kagame has called on nations to develop strategies to counter challenges such as neonatal and maternal deaths and new HIV infections. The First Lady was speaking in Nairobi, Kenya after taking part in a half marathon – The First Lady’s Half Marathon – which is part of a campaign to curb new HIV infections and promote better maternal and child health. The campaign christened “Beyond Zero” is aimed at raising funds for the set up of mobile clinics up in the various counties of Kenya. Mrs Kagame took part in the race alongside Kenyan First Lady, Margaret Kenyatta, Kenyan Deputy President William Ruto and Director General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi Sahle Zewde among other dignitaries. Mrs Kagame said that the ability to create locally designed strategies to provide greater access to basic health services is a skill that nations should continue to nurture. This, she said, held the power to bring relevant, successful, and lasting solutions where they are most needed. The First Lady said Rwanda too had developed locally designed strategies to curb new HIV infections, reduce maternal, child and new born deaths. The strategy relies on 45,000 committed health workers, who are entrusted by their communities, to deliver key messages and sensitise for timely antenatal care to pregnant women. “Thanks to this additional assistance provided by these community health workers to health centres, Rwanda continues to see a considerable impact on maternal and neonatal death reduction. Just to give you an idea, through maternal death audit, we have seen an 80percent drop, yet, this is still not enough... After all, No woman should die while giving life,” Mrs Kagame said. Sharing lessons learnt from the implementation of the programme, Mrs. Kagame said that interventions based on consistent advocacy efforts, resulting from partnerships between government and civil society was a sure way to eradicate preventable diseases and conditions. First Ladies Jeannette Kagame and Margaret Kenyatta in the crowd, waiting to start the race yesterday. (Courtesy) She further called on nations to learn from one another in addressing such challenges using each others’ experiences. “As this world increasingly resembles a global village, we are all given this opportunity to learn from our neighbours, near and far,” she said. She added that the Rwandan presence at the event was a response to a call that resonates beyond borders, the campaign, was positively contributing to the much-needed awareness, about the collective responsibility, to improve the access to basic health services. In her remarks, Mrs Kenyatta, said that she was honoured to have the Rwandan delegation participate in the campaign. The annual campaign was launched in January 2014, by the Kenyan First Lady to provide high level leadership in ending new HIV infections, and reduce maternal, child and new born deaths, by bringing closer to communities the health services they needed the most. To date, the ‘Beyond Zero’ Campaign has raised more than $5 million and received donations in kind of medical equipment and kits. Through this campaign, 36 mobile clinics have been established across 36 out of 47 counties, thanks to a unique private-public sector partnership, involving individual philanthropists, the United Nations, National and County governments, and the media. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
