The World Health Organisation said on Thursday in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire, that 46 Africa member countries still had remarkable challenges to scale before meeting the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the MDGs had eight targets on major human development indicators that all UN member countries agreed to meet from 2000 to 2015.
Speaking at the 61st session of the WHO Regional meeting, the African Regional Director of WHO, Dr Luis Sambo, said ``countries must pursue dynamic policies to push toward the MDGs.''
Sambo, who said that the free medical care for citizens by some countries was in good direction, called for the long-term sustainability of the projects.
The regional director said the suggestions by some countries to institute a regional fund for maternal and infant mortality would make a difference, noting, however, that such funds could draw scepticism from members as well.
``We should finish with the Regional Emergency Fund first, then we can look at the fund for maternal and child mortality,’’ he said.
An executive summary of the MDGs presented at the ongoing meeting of the ministers of health, however, cast a pall on the possibility of African countries meeting the goals.
The summary states that ``most countries in the African region have made more progress in the new millennium than during the 1990s but are still not on track to achieve the health and health-related MDGs in spite of the commitments made by governments and partners.
``This situation stems from low level of implementation of effective interventions, weak health systems and limited progress in addressing the broader social and environmental determinants of health.
``Of the 46 countries in the region, only seven are on track to achieve the MDG4 target on child health and only two countries - Equatorial Guinea and Eritrea - are on track to achieve MDG 5 target on maternal mortality.''
The summary also indicated that Botswana and Rwanda have anti-retroviral treatment coverage of more than 80 per cent for people living with HIV.
http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news-update/18186-who-african-countries-are-lagging-behind-on-mdgs.html
