Kitwe Mayor Calls For Urgent Action To Address Maternal Health Challenges

Kitwe Mayor, Her Worship Ms. Mpasa Mwaya, called for urgent action to address the challenges in maternal health in the district. She expressed concern over the high number of women losing their lives due to maternal complications and stressed that it was time for an open conversation about these issues.

During the District Maternal Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response Multisectoral Committee meeting held this morning at the Civic Center, the Mayor urged all stakeholders to engage with her office. She highlighted the importance of projects identified for implementation under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to help tackle the problem.

Kitwe District Commissioner and Chairperson of the Committee, Mr. Oncemore Ngonomo, reported that the district recorded 42 maternal deaths in 2024, with 19 of them occurring at the local clinic and the remainder from neighboring districts. He noted that the high number of maternal deaths was alarming and that addressing the issue required a collective effort from all parties involved.

Mr. Ngonomo concluded that the meeting had been productive, focusing on key issues that could shift the narrative and drive positive change in maternal health. He also mentioned that the government had set a goal to reduce maternal mortality rates from 278 deaths per 100,000 births to 100 deaths per 100,000 births by 2026.

The Mayor and other officials remain committed to taking concrete steps to improve maternal health outcomes in Kitwe.