20100627
allafrica

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged member countries of the G8 Summit to consider 100 per cent cancellation of debts owed them by African countries.

Jonathan, while addressing the G8 Summit in Muskoda Canada, also urged the developed countries to consider the establishment of joint funds for MDG 4 and 5 as priority actions to help co-ordinate and improve the MDG programmes at sub-regional levels in Africa.

He also canvassed for improvement on the commitment of the G8 nations to mutual financial obligations towards fast-tracking the attainment of the millennium development goals particularly in Africa's health sector.

Jonathan pointed out that the primary health sector in Africa is still plagued with major challenges that could be redressed if development partners, particularly members of the G-8 countries would meet mutual financial commitment contained in the 2005 Gleneagles Agree-ments.

He noted that less than half of the funds promised by development partners by the end of this year have been delivered.

"The weakness of primary health care system and limited referral institutions remain crucial challenges facing the health sector in Africa," Jonathan said.

Using Nigeria as a case study, he said the challenges of reducing infant mortality by two-thirds and maternal mortality by three-quarters by 2015 still remain daunting, despite government's increased efforts at boosting health infrastructure in the country.

He listed the intervention of the Federal Government in the primary health care system to include new incentives to attract medical personnel such as qualified midwives to rural areas as well as increased sensitisation campaigns against unfavourable religious and cultural beliefs.

He however identified that poor funding and management of government resources as well as poor health seeking behaviours that border on religious and cultural beliefs still impede the attainment of health goals.

President Jonathan returned home yesterday.