[afro-nets] The Quiet Scandal of 10 Million Deaths

["Claudio Schuftan" <cschuftan@phmovement.org>]

Cross-posted from: [health-vn discussion group]" <health-vn@cairo.anu.edu.au>

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39497

HEALTH: The Quiet Scandal of 10 Million Deaths
By Alexandra Stahl

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 2 (IPS) - A global coalition of governments and organisations has launched a new campaign to drastically improve pre- and post-natal healthcare in places like India, which alone accounts for a staggering 25 percent of the world's child deaths and 20 percent of maternal deaths.

Called "Deliver Now" -- a reference to the pledge made by 189 world leaders meeting at the United Nations seven years ago to reduce child deaths by two-thirds and maternal deaths by three-quarters by 2015, among other goals -- it brings together local government agencies, civil society, media and others to allocate existing health resources more effectively.

Halfway toward the deadline to achieve the so-called Millennium Development Goals, more than 10 million mothers and children still die every year, mostly from preventable causes. Four million newborns die in their first four weeks of their life, three million in the first week.

"The cause of women's and children's health has remained in the shadows for too long and been neglected on the political agenda," said Dr. Francisco Songane, director of the partnership.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 42 percent of pregnant women around the world experience a complication, of which 15 percent are life-threatening. These problems mostly occur in developing countries: 95 percent of all maternal and newborn deaths worldwide occur in 75 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

According to recent research, at least 7 million of these deaths could be prevented by expanding access to health systems.

These relatively simple measures include regular vaccinations, breastfeeding, access to antibiotics and the help of a skilled birth attendant.

The first specific country programmes will start in 2008 in India and Tanzania, which currently faces a critical shortage of qualified health workers to assist during childbirth. Some 54 percent of women receive no skilled attendance; as a result, a woman dies of pregnancy-related complications there every hour of every day.

Besides Norway, France, Canada, Germany and Britain are also supporting the campaign. More donor countries will become engaged.

Experts say that at least 9 billion dollars a year is needed to meet the basic health care needs of women and children. As of 2004, only 2 billion dollars -- less than a quarter of what is needed -- was available to support such services in developing countries.

Good health also requires a sound environment and commitment to upholding women's fundamental rights.

--
Vern Weitzel 
mailto:vern@coombs.anu.edu.au