AT a two-day workshop organised for journalists by the Wanawake na Maendeleo Foundantion (WAMA) and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), the issue of child and maternal mortality was once again brought to the front burner. It was observed that there is a lot to be done to save women and children from dying from preventable diseases.

Facilitators at the workshop, held in Dar es Salaam this week, painted a gloomy picture of what children and women are going through in the country in the wake of the devastating HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Critical issues raised by the participants included the high child mortality rate, poor healthcare services, poor environment hygiene, malnutrition, lack of basic education and how HIV/AIDS is threatening the welfare of women and children. Surveys carried out on acceptable standards for improvement of the situation of women and children clearly show that some regions of the country are still far below the required standard.

“Government should intervene and put more resources to improve the situation because scores of women and children are dying daily because of lack of access to healthcare services,” was the clarion call from the workshop participants.

A lot needs to be done in the provision of medical equipment, training and drugs to tackle healthcare problems as far as women and children are concerned. There is also need for the government to compliment efforts of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other development partners to reduce maternal and infant deaths.
 
At the media-WAMA-EGPAF workshop, which sough to empower journalists with knowledge on the HIV/AIDS disease, it was agreed that the local media houses should focus attention towards unearthing hurdles which impede the improvement of the living conditions of women and children in the country.

The mission, it was agreed, of forging closer working relations between journalists, WAMA and EGPAF  was to  bring about speedy and healthy development of Tanzanian women in the mainstream development process of the country and to ensure the survival, protection and development of women and children for meaningful life.
 
It is these vulnerable groups which lack the socio-economic capacity to compete and benefit fully from development opportunities and processes because of the long-time effect of cultural and traditional discrimination against them.

Tanzania needs to develop a culture that places premium on the protection of children and other vulnerable groups in the country. Problems such as lack of women’s participation in politics and decision-making, increase in maternal and child health problems, harmful traditional practices are the key issues for consideration on the path towards women's emancipation.

To us, it is sad that women have to die while giving life. Tanzania has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world with high prevalence in the rural areas. Infant mortality is also high in the rural settings because of lack of health facilities.

Illiteracy is also a catastrophe for any child but devastating for the girls because it makes them more vulnerable to poverty, ignorance, maternal mortality, hunger, violence, abuse, exploitation, trafficking, HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

Therefore all children, including the girl-child, deserve quality education although in many cases the girl-child is often marginalised and her prospects sacrificed when it comes to sending children to school.