African parliamentarians have been urged to move beyond political commitments and take concrete action to reduce preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths across the continent. The call was made on the sidelines of the ongoing 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in Arusha, during a high-level parliamentary meeting on women, children and adolescent health, where leaders, health experts and development partners stressed the need for stronger legislation, adequate financing and effective oversight of health services. Speaking at the meeting, Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, Mussa Hassan Zungu, said parliamentarians had a critical role to play in ensuring that political commitments translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives. He said the health and wellbeing of women and children remained a priority, noting that preventable deaths were often linked to barriers to accessing quality healthcare. “Parliament has vital responsibilities to support legislation, secure adequate and predictable financing, and oversee implementation,” Zungu said. He added that resources must reach health facilities and communities that need them most, while governments should prioritize equitable access to maternal and newborn care, sexual and reproductive health services, nutrition and adolescent health. Zungu said parliamentary networks provided an opportunity for lawmakers acro...
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