$869 Million Allocated to Programme to Reduce Child Mortality

The Government has set aside $869 million in the 2019/2020 Budget for the improvement of health facilities to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health.

This is outlined in the Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

Under the Programme for Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality (PROMAC), funded by the Government and the European Union (EU), High Dependency Units (HDUs) will be completed at five hospitals during the next financial year.

Procurement of equipment for the units will also be done, as well as completion of designs for referral systems for three health facilities. Health workers will also be trained, and academic research carried out on the cause and risk factors of premature birth.

There will also be the awarding of a contract for a communication consultant, to increase the visibility of PROMAC activities.

Up to the end of December 2018, the programme delivered equipment to the Mandeville Regional Hospital, six ambulances to health institutions and 150 midwife bags to various regional offices; completed in-service training for Critical Care Nurses; completed training for 45 nurses in Post Basic Midwifery and Post Basic Critical Care; completed training for 27 Nurses in Post Basic Critical Care and completed in-service training for Neonatology Nurses.

Objectives of the programme include reducing the incidence of neonatal deaths due to lack of access to high dependency care; reducing maternal deaths due to lack of access to emergency obstetrics care; and improving the quality of management of high-risk pregnancies at both tertiary and primary healthcare facilities.

It is also seeking to improve the population’s approach to maternal and child health; enhance public awareness and understanding of healthcare processes and patients’ rights; and strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry and the Regional Health Authorities (RHAs).