PRESIDENT BANDA TO ATTEND AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT IN UGANDA

LUSAKA, July 22, 2010 - His Excellency, Mr. Rupiah Banda, President of the Republic of Zambia, will on Friday 23rd July, 2010, leave for Uganda to attend the 15th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, which is expected to tackle issues pertaining to maternal and child mortality in Africa.

The African Union Summit is being held under the theme of “Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development in Africa”. African Heads of State and Government are expected to tackle various challenges facing the continent in reducing maternal, newborn and child mortality rates.

Speaking ahead of the Summit, President Banda said Zambia has made some progress in improving maternal and child health through various interventions, which Government has put in place such as allowing midwives to administer life-saving interventions.

“It is our collective duty as nations and governments to tackle deaths during childbirth so that the right to life is not terminated in the very circumstances where life should be brought into the world,” President Banda said.

On 12th June 2010, President Banda launched the Zambian version of the Campaign for Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA), which is aimed at speeding up the implementation of various strategies of reducing maternal mortality.

He said Zambia has also maintained high levels of immunisation coverage over the years through routine and supplemental immunisation activities, which has helped in reducing vaccine-preventable diseases. For example, Zambia has managed to eliminate neonatal tetanus and polio since 2003.

President Banda’s delegation to the summit will include Health Minister Hon. Kapembwa Simbao, MP, Foreign Affairs Minister Hon. Kabinga Pande, MP, Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Peter Mwaba and other Senior Government Officials. The President will return to Lusaka after the summit.