Topic: Reducing Infant Mortality
Country: Zimbabwe
Delegate Name: Dorris Dagama
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Zimbabwe position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
High infant mortality is a major problem that has continued to plague various developing nations. Zimbabwe, located in the southern part of Africa, is no exception to the rule. High infant mortality is often the result of malnutrition, poor medical care, and lack of education on sanitary methods. Zimbabwe’s mortality rate has significantly decreased in the past 10 years. In 2005, the mortality rate was 67.69 deaths/1000 live births. Recently, in 2014, Zimbabwe’s mortality rate reached an unusual low of 26.55 deaths/1000 live births. Most of Zimbabwe’s originally high mortality rate is caused by nutritional deficiencies and diseases attributed to the lack of food. Often, the newborn suffers from vitamin A deficiency, anemia caused by iron deficiencies in the body, and various mental illnesses that are the result of iodine deficiencies. Additionally, the prevalence of people who are suffering from HIV/AIDS is also increasing infant mortality as mothers suffering from these diseases often pass the disease onto their children through their breast milk or birth canal.
Zimbabwe’s implementation on various health policies has directly contributed to the decreasing mortality rate. However, during the 1980’s when mortality rate was increasing, there were changes to these policies that followed the enforcement of structural programs. Additionally, Zimbabwe has recognized the importance of reducing infant mortality by providing immunization. It has been stated that approximately 80% of children between 12 to 23 months have started to receive these vaccinations. This percentage is double of what it had been 10 years ago. Additionally, there have been measures taken to improve the conditions of health centers in rural Zimbabwe in order to increase the quality of health delivery system. Health officials have begun to realize the importance of extending the condition of health care not only to major hospitals, but to rural clinics as well. Hon Minister. Dr Parirenyatwa supported this decision by saying, “We want to change the way we see things. We tended to ignore rural clinics, mainly focusing on our hospitals.”
Zimbabwe has attacked the problem of malnutrition head on by launching the Zimbabwe National Nutrition Strategy. Although not passed to directly link infant mortality rate, we know its protective measures are working as the infant mortality rate the year the program was started had reached a low of 26.55 deaths/ 1000 live births. Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, created primarily to achieve the fourth Millennium Goal, has also taken an initiative to improve the maternal and child health by creating the Zimbabwe Maternal and Neonatal Roadmap in 2009. This program greatly improved the quality of life for mothers and infants alike.
Zimbabwe is close to reaching its desired goal of less than 20 deaths/1000 live births. By recognizing the importance of human life, it has imposed various programs such as the National Nutrition Strategy and the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Welfare. Although it has yet to reach its desired goal, Zimbabwe continues to impose actions that are greatly improving the infant mortality rate.
