PHA-Exch> NORWAY UNVEILS CAMPAIGN TO ACHIEVE UN GOAL ON CHILD MORTALITY, MATERNAL HEALTH

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Vern Weitzel <vern at coombs.anu.edu.au>
From: UNNews at un.org

<"http://www.un.org/webcast/ga/62/2007/pdfs/norway-en.pdf">

Norway will spend $1 billion over the next decade to help in the fight in
the developing world
against infant mortality and deaths in childbirth, one of the eight
Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) adopted at a United Nations summit in 2000, its
Prime
Minister announced today.

Jens Stoltenberg told the annual high-level debate of the General Assembly
in
New York that the world is struggling to meet the MDGs by their target date
of
2015, and particularly the Goal concerning child mortality and maternal
health.

"Simple, affordable measures can save millions" of children's and mothers'
lives, the Prime Minister said. Every year, 500,000 women die because of
childbirth and 2 million babies lose their lives before the sun sets on
their
first day.

"The four million newborn who die in their first month may survive if they
are
breastfed [and] have access to antibiotics and health workers."

The Norwegian plan, launched with other governments, agencies and civil
society,
is aimed at boosting both the organization of the fight and the amount of
funding available, and not just for vaccinations.

"Health personnel should treat more patients and file fewer reports. And we
must
change the financing so that treating patients becomes a source of income
rather
than a cost for the health systems."

Mr. Stoltenberg said an advocacy campaign for women and children was being
launched and would be overseen by a Network of Global Leaders chosen to help
ensure "that our message will reach every corner of the world."

He stressed that although the Global Alliance for Vaccines has saved more
than 2
million lives since its inception in 2000, it was important to move beyond
that
to other forms of treatment.
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