3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births 3.2 By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births The joy that every expectant couple, family, or community has when a woman gets pregnant is suddenly turned into sorrow and mourning when the woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth, or when the baby dies. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the five major causes of maternal mortality are haemorrhage, sepsis, complications of abortion, eclampsia, and obstructed labour. In Ghana, an ultrasound scan is routine for all pregnant women but one major challenge is the lack of scan machines The few machines we have are only found in the district hospitals only and hence pregnant mothers are expected to travel from the villag

Sustainable Development Goal 3, “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” is our thematic focus this month. We are calling on all members to take action in your community to tackle health-related issues. 3.7 By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes Since 1986, in Burundi, the operational budget for control of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS is almost all financed by foreign aid. However, there have been large amounts of administrative delays and inadequate human resources to distribute the allocated budget. In 1992, the number of new cases of AIDS was 4000 for adults and 1500 for children. Estimated numbers for 1997 are 9000 and 3700, respectively. The estimated 1992 HIV prevalence rate was 15% for urban and semi-urban areas and 1-2% for rural areas. There are like

Sustainable Development Goal 3, “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all and all ages” is our thematic focus this month. We are calling on all members to take action in your community to tackle health-related issues. Target 3.3 calls to “ End the epidemics of neglected tropical diseases and other communicable diseases” including leprosy. The 27th January was World Leprosy Day with the theme of ending discrimination, stigma and prejudice. The majority of people affected by leprosy are believed to experience some form of stigma and discrimination. Up to half will face mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. World Merit members around the world supported #WorldLeprosyDay to help raise awareness about the impact discrimination and social stigma have on people affected by leprosy, and how these negative attitudes hamper efforts to stop the spread of the disease. In the weeks preceding World Leprosy Day, a team from Wo