Get the Facts – Programme for the Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality

To lessen the rate of infant and maternal mortality the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the European Union, developed the Programme for the Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality (PROMAC).

The programme is aligned to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, which aim to reduce infant and maternal mortality.

In Jamaica, the most recent statistics show that the maternal mortality rate stood at 80 per 100,000 live births and the infant mortality rate was 25 per 1000 live births.

PROMAC offers support in the following areas:

• Care for new-borns
• Assistance in emergency cases
• Improved primary health care and referral services
• Training and research opportunities for health workers
• Providing information about effective reproductive heath
• Helping the Ministry of Health and its affiliates to strengthen their capabilities in the area of infant and maternal health

The programme’s achievements/ accomplishments so far include the:

• Training of specialised nurses and physicians
• Procurement of hospital equipment and ambulances
• Signing of a contract for the design and equipping of maternal and neonatal high dependency units
• Distribution of midwife equipment bags.

For additional information, contact the:
Ministry of Health
c/o PROMAC
10-16 Grenada Way
Kingston 5
Telephone: (876) 633-8172
Website: http://www.moh.gov.jm