26 May 2013

The Ministry of Health and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have signed a five year Memorandum of Understanding for provision of neo- natal resuscitation training to health professionals in Botswana.

The church will provide training and resuscitation equipment to doctors, nurses and midwives that will assist in reducing the under five years mortality rate.

Speaking at the signing ceremony on May 24 in Gaborone, the acting minister of health Mr Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri said the duo partnership will go a long way to strengthe the country’s health care delivery.

The minister said churches like the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints make great strides and fight with little resources at their disposal to empower birth attendants around the globe in saving new borns.

He said the understanding will result in the training of over 100 midwives and obstetricians who in turn will pass on to their peers in neo natal resuscitation.

 He also said the training is modelled on Helping Babies Breath (HBB) programme from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Neonatal Resuscitation which advocates for the use of simple tools and techniques to assess a newborn in the golden minute of life.

The minister indicated that the World Health Organisation estimates that 99 per cent of the 3.8 million neonatal deaths occur in developing countries of which Botswana is not an exception. 

“We still experience high incidence of neonatal mortality due to poor handling of neo-nate by birth attendants with limited skills in neo- natal resuscitation,” he noted.

He said neonatal resuscitation training therefore remains key in addressing the UN’s Millenium Development Goal four of reducing the mortality rate of under five children by two thirds in 2015.

Mr Matlhabaphiri said the church has labored in over 175 countries to provide emergency relief, wheelchairs, vision projects, clean water, support for immunization campaigns.

He said the ministry has received assistance from the church among them their partnership in the measles campaign and wheelchairs.

The church welfare manager in South East Africa, Mr Thabo Lebethoa said all humanitarian projects are made possible by generous donations from church members.

“Our church provides humanitarian aid to demonstrate our desire and commitment to follow Jesus Christ by providing service to our fellow men from all nationalities and religions,” he highlighted.

He said the church is looking forward to more partnerships of this nature with the government and people of Botswana. ENDS