HOFFMAN & HOFFMAN WORLDWIDE GLOBAL MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

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Kenya Parliamentary Retreat Final Media Coverage Report:

Nairobi, 19 December 2011

The East African article published Dec. 15 – 25, 2011 (see scan attached).

The same article is also available on at URL: http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/Child+mortality+rate+up+by+20pc/- /2558/1291038/-/jb0k00/-

All Africa.com article available at http://allafrica.com/stories/201112190133.html

Africa Science News Service (ASNS)

Kenyan Legislators Pledge to Reinvigorate Maternal and Child Health Agenda

Kenyan parliamentarians Tuesday joined their counterparts in Africa to renew their commitment to women and children’s health.

The MPs pledged to harness their political clout to lobby the government to initiate policies that promote maternal and infant health.

Likewise, the MPs promised to take a leading role in advocating for greater budgetary allocation towards safe motherhood and child survival programmes.

The new commitments were made during a Parliamentary retreat on Maternal, newborn and Child Health hosted by Kenyan Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Nairobi.

Full article at URL: http://www.africasciencenews.org/en/index.php/health/63- health/244-kenyan-legislators-pledge-to-reinvigorate-maternal-and-child-health-agenda

Xinhua (Chinese English-language International wire):

IPU says Africa may not achieve health MDGs fully

The African continent is not likely to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) 4 and 5 as it is performing poorly on maternal and child health, an Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) official said on Monday.

IPU director of programs Martin Chungong said in Nairobi that less than a third of the progress needed globally and especially in Africa to reach MDG 4 target of cutting child mortality by two thirds by 2015 has been achieved while less than a tenth of the progress for reducing maternal deaths by three quarters had been achieved.

"With only four years remaining to achieve the MDGs, Africa may not reach the target set due to lack of sufficient funds. If the current trends continues then majority of sub- Saharan countries, included, will not attain the MDGs by 2015 and especially goal 4 and 5 where least progress has been made," Chungong said during the Kenya parliamentary retreat on maternal, newborn and child health in Nairobi. Full article at URL: http://balita.ph/2011/12/06/ipu-says-africa-may-not-achieve-health- mdgs-fully/

Capital FM:

Kenyan MPs focus on better health for women, children NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6 – Kenyan parliamentarians have been meeting in Nairobi since Monday to discuss how they can best support the improvement of women’s and

children’s health.

Chungong (L) peruses through the programme with Sue Mbaya/COURTESY

The meeting dubbed ‘Parliamentary Retreat on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health’ is jointly hosted by the Kenyan Parliament and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the global organisation of parliaments.

The meeting comes amidst growing concern about the state of the health of women and children in Kenya. The UN notes that rates of both maternal and child mortality have increased between 1990 and 2008. The child mortality rate has gone from 105 deaths per 1,000 live births to 128 deaths per 1,000 live births.

The maternal mortality rate has increased from 380 to 580. The lifetime risk of maternal death in Kenya in 2008 was 1 in 39, among the highest in the world.

Full article at URL: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2011/12/kenyan-mps-focus-on- better-health-for-women-children/

The People Daily: article appearing in Tuesday’s edition. See attached scan.

The Star: article appearing in Tuesday’s edition. See attached scan.

The Star Online

Take maternal health seriously, MPs urged

DEPUTY Speaker Farah Maalim has urged MPs to ensure that voices of women and children are taken into account in government policies. He said the MPs should do this through legislation and preparation of private member bills. Universal access to essential care will only be attained if MPs play their role effectively, he said.

Maalim was speaking yesterday in Nairobi when he opened a two-day parliamentary retreat on Maternal, New born and Child health, which brought together legislators and health players. He said a lot of challenges are posed by lack of progress in maternal and child health. “Close collaboration and partnership are imperative to gaining leverage towards reversing this worrying trend,” Maalim said.

The retreat is expected to serve as a launch for a joint project between Parliament and the Inter-parliamentary Union on maternal, newborn and child health. It is further expected to provide a framework and platform for dialogue in reversing the high child and maternal mortality.

Full article available at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/national/national/52591-take-maternal- health-seriously-mps-urged

Grassroots.co.ke, a leading online publication

Kenyan parliamentarians Meet to Discuss Maternal and Child Health

Kenyan parliamentarians gathered in Nairobi to discuss how they can best support the improvement of women’s and children’s health.

The meeting dubbed ‘Parliamentary Retreat on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health’ is jointly hosted by the Parliament of Kenya and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the global organisation of parliaments. The meeting comes amidst growing concerned about the state of the health of women and children in Kenya.

Full article available at URL: http://www.grassroots.co.ke/news/kenyan- parliamentarians-meet-to-discuss-maternal-and-child-health.html

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) aired the story both on national radio and TV.

Kenya Television Network (KTN) ran a news item.

Citizen TV: Political editor Alex Chamwada ran a news story.

Kenya News Agency (KNA), a national wire service moved the story.

NTV: Health Reporter Irene Chege ran a news story. (IPS): Susan Anyangu is working on a feature.

PANAPress (International/regional wire) – Kennedy Abwao is scheduling a piece.

The following FM radio stations aired the story:

Radio Umoja – The story went on air three times.

Ghetto Radio

Hope FM

Truth FM

Capital FM

Kiss FM

Classic FM Other media contacted/following the story:

Reuters Africa

BBC Africa

Al Jazeera TV

CNN International