The Regional Secretary for Health revealed today in Ponta Delgada that infant mortality declined in the Azores between 2009 and 2010, dropping from 5.4 to 5.1 per thousand inhabitants.

At the opening session of the First International Congress on Maternal and Child Health in the Azores, which he chaired on behalf of the President of the Government, Miguel Correia added that the Azores will be able to achieve a rapid convergence towards the national average.

The Regional Secretary also stressed that number of maternal health, pregnancy monitoring and family planning consultations per live birth is the same as 15 years ago, but with increased efficiency.

In this regard, he said that the infant mortality rate fell by almost half in the past 15 years as well as the neonatal mortality rate, adding that more than five thousand maternal health, family planning and child health consultations took place in the archipelago from December 2010 to September 2011.

For the government official, the Azores are pioneers in the implementation of the "Nurse Practitioner" project, which allows increased health gains, particularly in terms of maternal health.
Miguel Correia restated that the health sector will be granted an additional amount of 22 million Euros under the budget for 2012.

According to him, this sum aims to strengthen hospital resources, promoting measures that contribute to the sustainability of the health system, health promotion and disease prevention.

According to the Regional Secretary, more general practitioners will be hired and home care teams will be extended.

In this context, additional measures will be taken in the area of maternal health, from pregnancy monitoring to the follow up of mother and child.

The three-day meeting will be attended by prominent personalities who, according to Miguel Correia, will bring a new look on pregnancy monitoring, benefits of proximity in the context of childbirth or sexuality in adolescence.

Furthermore, he mentioned that the specific programme concerning Maternal Health and Family Planning, included in the Regional Health Plan, aims to encourage family planning and sexual health, improve the health of pregnant women as well as preconception, prenatal, perinatal and infant care.