The Alliance for Reproductive Rights has launched a new website for the African Union’s (AU) Campaign on Accelerated Reduction of Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) www.carmma.org.

The website, developed by a team in the Department of Social Affairs, is aimed at promoting maternal and newborn survival, and providing evidence on progress in achieving the targets African leaders have set.

A statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency by Nii Sarpei Ankornu-Anorbah, media liaison officer, said the development of the website was funded by UK AID as part of the Evidence for Action (E4A) programme.

The five-year project aims at improving maternal and newborn survival in six Sub Saharan countries including Ghana. It focuses on using better information and improved advocacy and accountability to save lives.

Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR) together with the School of Hygiene are the implementers of the E4A project in Ghana.

Dr Mustapha Sidiki Kaloko, AU’s Commissioner for Social Affairs, who launched website said: “The Union continues to play a critical role in promoting issues of maternal, newborn and child survival and placing it high on the African political agenda”.

He said the website was a culmination of the work of many African and international champions of maternal, child and newborn health.

He expressed the hope that the new platform would bring together in one place, evidence and information on maternal, newborn and child survival across the continent.

Dr. Mustapha said, “We also hope to showcase the champions that are working to give African mothers and their babies a future.

The AU Commissioner said the Union was aware of the many men and women, health workers, officials, community leaders as well as political leaders who work on a day-to-day basis, saving the lives of women and children.

“We hope to bring together an army of CARMMA champions across the continent, adding that Africa Cares: No Woman Should Die While Giving Life,” he added.

CARMMA was launched in 2009 with the aim to trigger concerted and increased actions to improve maternal and newborn health and survival across the continent.

Currently, CARMMA has been launched in 37 African countries including Ghana.