PHA-Exchange> EXPERTS URGE MAJOR EFFORT TO MEET UN MILLENNIUM GOALS ON MATERNAL, CHILD DEATHS

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from Vern Weitzel <vern.weitzel at undp.org> -----


EXPERTS URGE MAJOR EFFORT TO MEET UN MILLENNIUM GOALS ON MATERNAL, CHILD DEATHS
New York, Apr 12 2005 12:00PM
With inadequate progress being made towards meeting the United Nations 
Millennium Development Goals 
(<"http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs) of slashing maternal and child 
deaths by 2015, a 
<"http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=606">meeting of experts from around 
the world has called for 
a major cooperative effort that could save the lives of 7 million women, 
newborns and children each 
year.

“Only through coordinated and concerted action and unprecedented resource 
mobilization at the 
national and international levels can we hope to meet our commitments by the 
target year,” health 
officials, medical professionals and advocates declared at the close of a 
three-day forum at the 
weekend in New Delhi, India.

Appealing for “strong partnerships that include governments, development 
partners, donors, civil 
society, the private sector and others,” the conference declaration called 
on donors to close an 
estimated $9 billion annual shortfall in funding for maternal and child health 
programmes.

The underlying theme of the meeting – “Lives in the Balance: The 
Partnership Meeting on Maternal, 
Newborn and Child Health” – was the lack of progress many countries have 
made towards meeting the 
MDGs on maternal and child deaths, seen as key steps in eliminating extreme 
poverty, another major 
MDG set by the UN Millennium Summit of 2000.

“Cost-effective interventions, if taken to scale worldwide, can prevent 
close to three-fourths of 
maternal deaths, and over two-thirds of child deaths,” the declaration said. 
“Thus, we have – almost 
within reach – the means to save nearly 7 million lives each year.”

To achieve this, countries need to “invest in strengthening health systems, 
from community to the 
referral levels,” tailoring programmes to fit national and community needs, 
and specifically 
ensuring that they reach and benefit the poor, the marginalized and the 
underserved.

“This has been a very productive and inspiring meeting, one that has taken 
full advantage of the 
depth and diversity of experience among the participants,” UN Population 
Fund 
(<"http://www.unfpa.org">UNFPA) Deputy Executive Director Kunio Waki told the 
closing session. “Our 
shared commitment to health and equity has strengthened our mutual 
determination to redress the 
shameful and unjust gaps in coverage for mothers, newborns and children.”
  2005-04-12 00:00:00.000

________________

For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news



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