From DAILY NEWS Reporter in Zanzibar,
EFFORTS to reduce maternal and infant mortality in Zanzibar was on Tuesday given a boost, following a 8.9 million Euro (about 18bn/-) grant issued by the Netherlands.
The signing and exchange of documents was held at the Zanzibar Ministry of Finance, Economy and Planning at Vuga, between the Principal Secretary (PS), Mr Khamis Mussa and Ambassador of he Netherlands in Tanzania, Mr Add Koekkoek.
''This project targets improvement of the referral hospital of Mnazi Mmoja, maternity and would focus on paediatric services. These are among the areas that pose great challenge in our improvement of health services,'' said Mr Mussa in his brief speech at the signing ceremony.
He said by last year 279 mothers died out of every 100,000 and 33 out of 1000 children died before their first birth day, while 79 out of 1000 die before they reach age of five years.
''These death rates for mothers and infants in Zanzibar are still among the highest in the world", Mr Mussa told the gathering at the signing ceremony which included Ministers Mr Omar Yussuf Mzee (Finance), and Mr Juma Duni Haji (Health) and other government officials.
The PS reassured his government's commitment to utilize the grants funds for the purpose that they were given for, ''we shall join hands in ensuring that the grant is effective in bringing about the intended outcome.''
The ambassador said that it was his hope that the support would help improve health services in the islands.
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