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| The signing ceremony with Angola (From the left:Minister Lutucutaof the Ministry of Health of Angola, President Lourenço, Vice Chairman Kashitani of Toyota Tsusho, Chairman Nuno da Silva of CFAO Mobility Angola) |
The donation ceremony with Mozambique (From the left: Chief Representative Kazuki Otsuka of JICA; Keiji Hamada, Ambassador of Japan in Mozambique; Ussene Isse, Minister of Health of Mozambique; and Sales Director Hajy of CFAO Mobility Mozambique) |
The Maternal and Child Health Handbook is a tool used to continuously record the condition of mother and child during pregnancy and childbirth as well as the child’s growth and health status after birth. Use for infants and toddlers began in Japan in 1948, and the handbook continues to serve as an important tool for improving maternal and child health to the present.
Japan has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the world, but maternal mortality rates in Africa remain high, and the high under-five child mortality rate is also a serious issue. As a tool that supports continuous care for pregnant women, new mothers, infants, and toddlers, Maternal and Child Health Handbooks are expected to contribute to reducing child mortality rates and improving the health of pregnant women and new mothers.
JICA supports the introduction and use of Maternal and Child Health Handbooks in many developing countries around the world by dispatching experts, conducting various training programs, and sending overseas cooperation volunteers, all with the objective of protecting the lives and health of mothers and children globally. In Africa, JICA has been continuously conducting support activities under the project to improve maternal and child health services in Angola since 2017 and in Mozambique since 2021.
With the aim of contributing to global health and creating a healthy society in which “no one is left behind,” the Toyota Tsusho Group is reinforcing initiatives in the healthcare business in Africa so that people in all countries can access high-quality pharmaceutical products. For this project as well, Toyota Tsusho shares JICA’s commitment to improving maternal and child health services, and through CFAO’s local subsidiary in Angola, the Group has donated a cumulative total of approximately 810,000 Maternal and Child Health Handbooks to the Ministry of Health of Angola since 2019.
At this time, the Group donated approximately 18,000 handbooks for four districts located in two provinces of Mozambique that are targets of the project, which corresponds to about 20% of the total required number. The Group also donate approximately 35,000 handbooks, including Braille versions, in Angola. This is the first time that the Group has provided Braille versions.
Maternal and Child Health Handbooks for Angola (left) and Mozambique (right)
Going forward, the Toyota Tsusho Group will continue supporting the widespread use of Maternal and Child Health Handbooks in an effort to improve maternal mortality and neonatal mortality rates, a serious issue in African countries.
Also, we will promote business initiatives that contribute to solving social issues in Africa with “for the future children of Africa” as our key message at the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), which opened in Yokohama on August 20.
The information in this release is current as of the date of announcement.
Please note that information may change after the date of announcement. Thank you in advance for your understanding.