DEAR COLLEAGUES,

I WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE 19^TH ZAMBIA ASSOCIATION OF GYNAECOLOGISTS AND OBSTETRICIANS (ZAGO) ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) AND SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS, WHICH THEME IS “ADVANCING CLINICAL INNOVATIONS AND RESEARCH TO IMPROVE MATERNAL AND NEWBORN SURVIVAL”.  THIS THEME SUPPORTS   INNOVATIONS AND   EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE THAT AIMS TO REDUCE MATERNAL AND NEONATAL DEATHS IN ZAMBIA TO LESS THAN 70/100, 000 AND 10 /1000 BY 2030 RESPECTIVELY.

ALTHOUGH, CURRENT EVIDENCE SHOWS A REDUCTION OF MATERNAL DEATHS OF 70% OVER A 20 YEARS PERIOD FROM 2002 (ZDHS 2002/2001-729/100,000 TO 195/100,000-2024 ZDHS; THIS FIGURE STILL REMAINS UNACCEPTABLY HIGH.   RECENT EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT 90% OF ALL MATERNAL DEATHS OCCUR IN HEALTH FACILITIES; MEANING THAT KEY INTERVENTIONS ARE WITHIN OUR CONTROL. REGARDING NEONATAL MORTALITY, WE HAVE SEEN A DECLINE IN NEONATAL MORTALITY FROM 27/1000 LIVE BIRTHS (2018 ZDHS) TO 17/1000 LIVE BIRTHS (2024 ZDHS) THANKS TO NEWER INNOVATIONS IN HELPING NEWBORNS BREATH.

THIS CONGRESS THEREFORE OFFERS US AN OPPORTUNITY TO CRITICALLY LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE AND NEWER INNOVATIONS   THAT WILL LEAD TO ACCELERATED REDUCTION OF BOTH MATERNAL AND PERINATAL MORTALITY.  WE NEED TO SCALE UP AND EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT NEWER PROVEN INTERVENTIONS LIKE   THE WHO ROAD MAP ON PPH   USING THE EMOTIVE BUNDLE AND USE OF CPAP AND CAFFEINE CITRATE TO HELP NEWBORNS BREATH. THESE INNOVATIONS WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO IMPROVED MATERNAL AND NEWBORN SURVIVAL.  COLLEAGUES, I WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU TO TAKE INTEREST IN NEWER INNOVATIONS AND PARTICIPATE IN EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH.

I END BY WISHING A SUCCESSFUL AND FRUITFUL ZAGO CONFERENCE.

GOD BLESS,

DR SWEBBY MACHA

ZAGO PRESIDENT

28^TH FEBRUARY 2025