Huíla bets on improving maternal and neonatal health.
Creation of Training Centers can contribute to the training of technicians and reduction of neonatal and infant mortality.
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The Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right to life as an inherent right of all children. The same Convention also establishes that States must guarantee the survival and development of children.
In the province of Huíla, maternal and newborn health faces several challenges influencing the mortality rates of both mothers and newborns. This problem, which affects several regions of Angola, requires urgent actions to improve the quality of care in health facilities. In response to this situation, the Government of the Province of Huíla, with the support of UNICEF and funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, develops an action to strengthen the capacity of maternal, newborn and child health workers in the province.
The action consists of the creation of training and simulation centres, and the strengthening of the capacity of health professionals, through mentoring programmes based on the areas of operation. With this support, it is intended to ensure that the care provided is effective and humanized, professionals will be trained to deal with emergencies, and promote humanized birth practices where mother and baby are the center of the process, thus reducing maternal and neonatal mortality.
During the Workshop on Improving Maternal and Newborn Health, which marked the official start of the initiative, 45 provincial and municipal health workers, representatives of hospital facilities and local partners met to discuss the challenges and opportunities in improving maternal and newborn care in the province.
During the workshop, health technicians were trained on essential care for the newborn, using modern data collection tools that will allow monitoring and continuously improving the quality of health services.
Dr. Kelson Francisco, Head of Public Health of Huíla, one of the facilitators of the workshop, highlighted the importance of a training center to improve the training of professionals, emphasizing the challenges faced by the largest Maternity Hospital in the Region. With an average of 25 births per day, the Irene Neto maternity hospital serves pregnant women from 14 municipalities, but the lack of quality in services continues to contribute to the high rates of maternal and neonatal mortality. "The training center will play an important role in preparing health technicians to deal with emergencies, with the aim of offering humanized and appropriate care," he assured.
Expected impact
Dr. Hirondina Cucubica, UNICEF Health Officer, highlighted that with the creation of these centers and continuous training, the reality of maternal and newborn health in Huíla can be transformed. With the implementation of mentoring and practical training programs, it is expected that technicians will acquire skills that will allow them to provide quality care, ensuring the stability of long-term results.
Among the beneficiaries of the project is Virgínia Amaral, head of primary health care at the Provincial Department of Public Health, who considered the meeting "quite pertinent", as it offered participants a valuable opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas on how to improve the provision of care.
Virgínia sees the project as being fundamental to transform the local reality.
"The training will undoubtedly improve neonatal and maternal health in Huíla," he concluded, adding that, with the new knowledge and skills acquired, professionals will be better prepared to provide quality services and ensure better monitoring of mothers and newborns.
Future perspectives.
In the coming months, the Provincial Directorate of Health of Huíla, in collaboration with UNICEF and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will monitor the creation of training rooms in the main health units of the province.
This joint effort represents a commitment to improving health care in Angola, enabling mothers and babies to access quality health services from birth.
By focusing on the continuous training of professionals, this project will offer a concrete response to the challenges that affect maternal and newborn health, saving lives and promoting the well-being of several families.