Yesterday, the Portfolio Committee on Health received a briefing from the Department of Health on the progress made by South Africa towards attaining Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
At the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000, the international community reached consensus on working to achieve eight critical economic and social development priorities by 2015. Dr Nonhlanhla Dlamini, Chief Director at the department, presented MDG goals that fall under the ambit of health department, namely; reduction of child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
Chairperson of the Committee, Dr Bevan Goqwana, welcomed the report and the progress that has been made in trying to achieve the MDGs. “What the report tells us is that the MDGs are likely to be met except for the maternal deaths,” said Dr Goqwana. He added: “What is concerning are the number of deaths among premature babies.”
Briefing the Committee, Dr Dlamini said: “Improving maternal and child health is one of the department’s main priorities, however we are unlikely to meet our international commitment to cut maternal mortality to 38 deaths per 100 000 births by 2015 as part of MDGs.”
Said Dr Goqwana: “Although there is still a lot to be done in curbing the numbers on maternal mortality, we appreciate the fact that the department has plans and strategies in place to militate against the challenges and reduce the statistics.”
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Yoliswa Landu, Parliamentary Communication Services
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