Now close to US $ 163, 656 worth of mother and child health care equipment donated

Lilongwe, 1 April 2008 -- The WHO in collaboration with the European Commission (EC) on March 25th donated basic emergency obstetric care (BEmOC) equipment and skills development materials worth US $ 69,815 to the Ministry of Health. This is part of the partnership agreement that the Ministry of Health, the WHO and the European Commission signed in Malawi on February 15 2007.

The partnership is in relation to the memorandum of understanding which was signed between the World Health Organisation and the Commission of the European Communities in the field of development which was signed on July 2nd 2004. The aim of the partnership is to support Malawi Government's efforts in reducing the high number of deaths due to pregnancy and child bearing. The maternal mortality ratio is at 984 per 100,000 and is among the highest in the world.