A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening regional cooperation in the field of sexual and reproductive health was signed by the Mauritius Institute of Health (MIH) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Friday 13 April 2018 in Port Louis.
The Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Dr Anwar Husnoo, was present on that occasion. Signatories of the MoU were the Executive Director of the MIH, Dr G. Daby, and UNFPA’s Country Director for Mauritius, Mr Serge Bounda.
In his address, Minister Husnoo stated that the MoU will support the MIH in taking a leading role to become a regional centre of excellence for training and research in sexual and reproductive health. Training also focuses on family planning, security of reproductive health commodities, Sexually Transmitted Infections/Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, maternal health, and gender issues, he added.
The MoU, Dr Husnoo highlighted, will consolidate collaborative ties with the UNFPA which were established some 40 years back and strengthen capacity-building development across the Sub-Saharan region in reproductive health.
For his part, Mr Bounda, indicated that the MoU will provide training and expertise both to health professionals in Mauritius and other African countries. Thus enabling these professionals to contribute in promoting a society whereby all human beings are entitled to equal rights and protections, he pointed out.
According to Mr Bounda, adolescent pregnancy, the biggest challenge for African countries, needs to be prevented so as to foster a gender-equitable society with the empowerment of girls and women. The UNFPA will continue to work in collaboration with the MIH to improve the sexual and reproductive health status of all men, women and young people in the African continent, he underlined.
UNFPA
UNFPA, which is the United Nations reproductive health and rights agency, was created in 1969. The organisation has as objectives to promote a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every child birth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. It calls for the realisation of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
Source: Government of Mauritius