“MDGS A Powerful Force To Reduce Poverty.” Dr. Sukwa

NEWS BANJUL THE GAMBIA (MB)- The Who Representative  (The Gambia) Dr. Thomas Sukwa has said that the MDGs has been a powerful force in fight to reduce poverty and inequity.
  Dr Sukwa delivered this statement on Friday 10 December at a press briefing on the progress towards the health” Related implications in its target to meet the MDGs. He added that the need to reduce maternal and newborn deaths emerges as the most urgent and obvious priority adding that there is urgent need for government to increase investment in health of women and children.

Dilating on the challenges facing the African Region he said, conflict affected and fragile states are furthest away from achieving the MDGs. “ more efforts and investment are necessary to prevent set back and to accelerate progress towards the MDGs”, he noted. Proceeding on the eight MDGs which are to end poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS, environmental sustainability and strengthen the global partnership, he described MDGs. He further dilated on the challenges facing the MDGs which deals with the combating of HIV/Aids as a major target but yet not comprehensive survey study has been conducted at the national level. Highlighten on the Gambia’s performance, Dr. Sukwa said, despite the challenges posed by inadequate data, “one can say from studies that progress has been made in the fight against the major diseasee.”
 “ What needs to be done is to accelerate coverage of key interventions, coupled with collection and analysis of quality national data”. He further disclosed that inadequate functional blood transfusion, basic functional laboratory service and essential mecheal supplies as some of the challenges impeding the achievements of MDGs .
Dr. Sukwa further described the country (The Gambia) as being the off - track regarding the achievement of MDG4, stating that despite the negative out look, a major success story has been the high immunization coverage, including the measles target that has been achieve by the Gambia. He pointed out the UN millennium Declaration adopted by 189 heads of states which indicated a plan for countries and development partners to work together in meeting the eight millennium target.