Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal Mortality in Africa (CARMMA)

During the continental launch in May 2009, 8 member states were prioritised for national CARMMA launches. The criteria for selection included high mortality rate, low gender development indices, as well as high political commitment and presence of international development partners to support the process. As of June 2013, CARMMA has been launched in 37 member states. At the 5th Conference of Ministers of Health in 2011, it was agreed that CARMMA be expanded to address Newborn and Child Health as mandated by the 15th Session of the Ordinary session of the AU Assembly. The key result of this has been an increased focus not only on maternal health, but also on newborn and child health.

The campaign currently focuses on four key areas:

• building on existing efforts, particularly best practices;
• generating and providing data on maternal and newborn deaths;
• soliciting stakeholder goodwill, increasing political commitment, and mobilising domestic resources in support of maternal and newborn health, and
• communicating with the wider African public and inspiring action.

The main objective of CARMMA is to expand the availability and use of universally accessible quality health services, including those related to sexual and reproductive health that are critical for the reduction of maternal mortality. The focus is not to develop new strategies and plans, but to ensure coordination and effective implementation of existing ones. CARMMA aims to renew and strengthen efforts to save the lives of women who should not have to die while giving life. CARMMA believes in ensuring accountability: every single loss of a mother’s or child’s life should be reported.

A number of campaign resources have been produced to help support the initiative including booklets, videos, and documents. These resources are intended to raise awareness, as well as be tools for heroes and heroines of maternal, newborn, and child health all across Africa. CARMMA works to support the work of these champions by providing free information resources that give simple, practical advice on issues that will save lives. The website also includes country scorecards, which give a clear breakdown of where a country is at in relation to maternal and newborn health.

Maternal Health

According to CARMMA, one in thirty African women risks dying in childbirth, while thousands more suffer all their lives from the damaging physical and mental side-effects of giving birth. This does not have to happen - Africa has the technology and know-how to save the lives of women. Despite myriads of global, regional and national efforts and reaffirmation of commitments towards the issue, maternal, newborn and child mortality remains a silent emergency. Globally, there are 358,000 maternal deaths a year, with Africa accounting for more than half of them at 53%. The very high rate of maternal mortality and morbidity is a challenge that must be tackled individually and collectively.