Chipungu urges media to focus on safemotherhood issues
The newly appointed Safemotherhood Executive Dire Executive Director of Presidential Initiative for Safe Motherhood Chimwemwe Chipungu has urged the media to write more stories of martenal health.
Chipungu made the appeal during a media interface at the Safemotherhood headquarters.
He said his organization has been under the Ministry of Health.
Chipungu said his work will not be political despite serving as the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) national organizing secretary
“What people should know is that we are apolitical organization doing health work in the country and we are in no way linked to politics,” said Chipungu
Chipungu said he will decide in due course on whether to continue his political position or to quit and concentrate on his new job.
Presidential Initiative for Safe Motherhood was launched by former president Joyce Banda, who rose to prominence as a relentless women’s rights advocate,
Banda, who was dethroned as Malawi’s special ambassador on safemotherhood by late president Bingu wa Mutharika replacing her with his wife Callista Mutharika, entrusted Senior Chief Kwataine to lead the initiative as board chair.
During Banda-rule, the Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health (GLC) has rated Malawi as a star in safe motherhood initiatives despite some challenges in maternal mortality and family planning..
Malawi has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world—standing at 675 deaths per 100 000 births whereas the birth rate stands at almost six children per mother. This shows a decline from 1 120 maternal deaths per 100 000 births and a birth rate of seven.
