Email: communications@africacdc.org
Africa has made important gains in the health and survival of women and children, but progress remains too slow and unequal to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The continent accounts for approximately 70% of global maternal deaths, nearly half of deaths among children under five, nearly half of global stillbirths, and more than half of the world’s zero-dose children. Most are preventable. The priority is to convert existing evidence, policies and proven interventions into sustained political commitment, adequate financing and quality services for populations and geographies carrying the greatest burden.
The appointment of H.E. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, as African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health provides a high-level platform to accelerate this transition from commitment to results. The AU Champion Roadmap for RMNCAH 2026–2030 is a continental political and delivery-acceleration framework that strengthens national plans and continental commitments rather than creating a new policy or parallel implementation system.
At its centre are the Three Zeros: Zero Home Delivery, with every birth managed by skilled health personnel in a properly equipped medical environment; Zero Preventable Maternal and Newborn Deaths, so preventable deaths are no longer accepted as inevitable and every death informs corrective action; and Zero Unvaccinated Children, so every child is identified, reached and protected through age-appropriate immunisation, with particular focus on zero-dose children. Adolescent health and wellbeing cut across all three.
The Roadmap advances this promise through three mutually reinforcing Strategic Objectives. SO1 mobilises political leadership and partnerships for accountability through high-level advocacy, evidence and convening. SO2 mobilises and aligns investment and delivery systems by strengthening implementation-ready Integrated RMNCAH Investment Cases, linking priorities to national budgets, aligning domestic and partner financing, and reinforcing product security, pooled procurement, African manufacturing and PHC digitalisation. SO3 accelerates country implementation of proven high-impact interventions across the continuum of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, including SRH, adolescent and youth-responsive health, nutrition across the life course, maternal and newborn survival, stillbirth prevention, child health and immunisation, supported by a competent and retained workforce, community systems, quality care, functional referral and South–South learning.
Implementation remains Member State-owned and led. All 55 AU Member States participate, with intensified support differentiated by burden, SDG trajectory, equity and service gaps, fragility and conflict-related disruption, financing and implementation constraints, and country demand and readiness. The AU MCH Champion provides political leadership and high-level accountability; the Champion Secretariat supports advocacy, commitment tracking, resource mobilisation and implementation oversight; Africa CDC leads continental technical coordination and country support; and partners align financing and technical assistance behind country-owned priorities.
Accountability will focus on results. A seven-indicator Presidential RMNCAH Scorecard will track the Three Zeros, maternal and newborn lifesaving service readiness and domestic financing for delivery, supported by the broader Continental RMNCAH Scorecard and Dashboard. By 2030, success will be judged by measurable progress across these headline indicators.
