African parliamentarians gathered in Arusha, Tanzania, have been pressed to move beyond political declarations on maternal, newborn and child health and deliver funded, measurable results. The push came during a high-level parliamentary meeting held alongside the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, according to allAfrica.com. The assembly runs from October 5 to 9 at the Arusha International Conference Centre under the theme "Enhancing good governance and empowering communities through inclusivity, trust and opportunities for all." At the centre of the discussions was the African Union's Three Zeros agenda, which sets out to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, ensure no child goes unvaccinated, and eliminate home deliveries without skilled care. Lawmakers, health experts and development partners met to examine how African countries can speed up reductions in deaths that are largely avoidable. ## Why it matters Africa carries a disproportionate share of global maternal deaths, and the continent is not on track to meet internationally agreed targets at its current rate of progress. The Arusha meeting placed the responsibility for closing that gap squarely with parliaments, whose powers over legislation, budgets and oversight determine whether health commitments become functioning services or remain on paper. Ummy Mwalimu, Presidential Adviser on Reproductive and Maternal Health, who represented Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the meeting, said maternal mortality across African Union member states fell by 42% between 2000 and 2023. Even so, she said, Africa still accounts for roughly 70% of maternal deaths worldwide, a figure echoed by recent WHO and UN-linked data cited in the reporting. Mwalimu warned that at the present pace, Africa would not reach the Sustainable Development Goal target of 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births until around 2050. She said the continent already understands many of the interventions needed to prevent maternal and child deaths, but struggles to convert that knowledge into adequately financed programmes, working health services and results that can be measured. She also pointed to President Samia's role as African Union Champion for Maternal and Child Health, saying the roadmap attached to that role aims to accelerate action on reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health across the continent. ## Parliaments told to legislate, fund and follow through Mussa Azzan Zungu, Speaker of Tanzania's National Assembly, told the meeting that legislators have a critical part to play in making sure commitments made at national, continental and global levels produce real improvements in people's lives. According to allAfrica.com, he said this requires parliaments to strengthen legislation, secure adequate and predictable financing, and hold governments accountable for how health programmes are carried out. "Parliament has vital responsibilities to support legislation, secure adequate and predictable financing, and oversee implementation," Zungu said. He called for health resources to reach the facilities and communities with the greatest need, and urged governments to prioritise maternal and newborn care, sexual and reproductive health services, nutrition and adolescent health. Ali Kolotou Tchaimi, who chairs the IPU African Geopolitical Group, said lawmakers must ensure health commitments reach ordinary citizens, especially vulnerable women and children. He said parliamentarians should use their legislative, budgetary and oversight powers to press governments into improving health services. South African National Assembly Speaker Angela Thokozile Didiza called for stronger political leadership, naming maternal deaths and childhood immunisation as persistent public health concerns. She endorsed the Three Zeros initiative, saying greater political commitment is required to tackle preventable deaths and missed vaccinations. ## What the evidence shows about preventable deaths Professor Diana Nambatya Nsubuga, Africa CDC Head of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health, said evidence from African Union member states shows that a large share of maternal and newborn deaths can be prevented. She identified haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and anaemia as leading causes of maternal deaths, while prematurity and birth asphyxia remain major causes of newborn deaths. Nambatya Nsubuga called for stronger accountability systems, better quality of care, timely reporting of maternal and newborn deaths, and wider use of reliable data to shape interventions. Dr Sunday Dominico, President of the Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Tanzania, said preventing maternal deaths also depends on health facilities having sufficient equipment, skilled health workers and dependable supplies of blood. Newborn health advocate Doris Mollel urged parliamentarians to strengthen laws and budgets that support premature and sick newborns. She cited Tanzania's parliamentary action on parental leave and increased funding for newborn care as examples of how legislative decisions can shape health outcomes. A representative from Botswana encouraged African countries to draw lessons from one another's successes while confronting persistent challenges in maternal health, including unsafe abortion, healthcare financing and access to services. The Arusha discussions left African parliaments with a clear task: convert health commitments into budgets, policies, oversight mechanisms and practical interventions whose effect can be counted in lives saved. WHO-linked reporting indicates that sub-Saharan Africa accounts for roughly 70% of global maternal deaths, despite considerable progress since 2000. As the continent pursues the Three Zeros agenda, the test will be whether the initiative moves past political commitments and becomes a working health agenda that reaches women, newborns, children and families in communities across Africa. What to watch next is whether the parliamentary resolutions aired in Arusha are reflected in national budget allocations and oversight reports in the months after the assembly closes on October 9.