Grenada's Maternal Mortality Ratio highlighted at Commonwealth Seminar

LONDON, UK, October 19, 2011 – The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that Grenada is among the three countries with the lowest Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the world, followed by Japan and Mauritius.

There are 0 deaths to every 100,000 live births in the country, according to the WHO.

The information was highlighted at seminar in London which was attended by the High Commissioner for Grenada HE Ruth Elizabeth Rouse.

The High Commissioner was at the time giving the Commonwealth’s response to an address by Lord Nigel Crisp entitled “Can the MDGs be achieved without Women’s Health Taking Centre Stage?”, on Monday at the Commonwealth Secretariat Seminar: MDGs, Women’s Health and the Care Economy.

The Seminar was one in a series of strategic activities on the 2011 Commonwealth theme: Women as Agents of Change to highlight the role and contribution of women as change agents in the Health Sector. The seminar also placed emphasis on the importance of women’s health being critical for their empowerment as effective change agents.

The WHO statistics went on to elaborate that the contributing factors to low MMR include:

·         Improved access to health facilities and maternal care

·         Early risk detection

·         Multi-sector approach involving all Departments, Sectors and Ministries of health, education, public services, etc.

·         Midwives are extensively trained in record keeping, communication skills, monitoring and evaluation systems, and networking beyond nursing skills

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma delivered opening remarks and the event was chaired by Dr Sylvia Aine, Director, Social Transformation Programmes Division.

The High Commissioner for Grenada said that though Commonwealth member countries were striving to enhance women’s health with competing priorities, low budgets, migration as real challenges, she was indeed proud to share some good practices and the progress Grenada had made towards MDG -5.

In commenting on Grenada’s placement, Minister for Health, Senator The Honourable Ann Peters, praised the strong Community Programme which is undertaken in Grenada,   managed by trained midwives and health personnel.

High Commission for Grenada

London

October 18^th 2011

Photo: Lord Nigel Crisp; SG Kamalesh Sharma; HC Rouse

Credit: Commonwealth Secretariat