For the first time, the world’s
leading maternal, newborn and child health professionals have formally
joined forces to step up efforts to achieve the international development
goals for child and maternal health. The new partnership marks a milestone
in an intensive and growing global focus on the health of women and children.
While some countries have made progress, at current rates the world
is not on track to achieve the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
for maternal and child health. Each year, more than half a million women
die in pregnancy or childbirth and nearly 11 million young children die,
most of preventable causes. Today, to address this health crisis, countries
and organizations active in maternal, newborn and child health have launched
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health. “If the
world is to meet the goals of reducing maternal and under-five mortality
by 2015, only a focused, coordinated effort can bring women, newborns
and children the health care they need during pregnancy, delivery, the
early weeks of life and in childhood. By working with countries to increase
access to existing health care solutions, this Partnership has the potential
to transform millions of lives and make critical progress," said
Dr LEE Jong-wook, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health will begin
immediately to work with national leaders on delivering the much-advocated "continuum
of care" approach to countries. In recent publications including
the WHO's World Health Report 2005, The Lancet Child Survival and Neonatal
Series, and the UN Millennium Project's "Who's Got the Power?",
leading global health experts agree that progress begins when a women's
health needs are addressed at the same time as her child's.
At the partnership launch event today in New York, Alpha Oumar Konaré,
Chairperson, Commission of the African Union said,
“ Greater political
leadership coupled with increased financial resources are needed at international
and national levels if we are going to meet these goals. Investment in
maternal, newborn and child health is not only a priority for saving
lives, but it is also critical to advancing other goals related to human
welfare, equity, and poverty reduction.”
Leaders from countries,
donor agencies, UN organizations, professional associations, academic
institutions, and non-governmental organizations have joined the partnership.*
It is a merger of three existing collaborations focused on maternal,
newborn and child health and will be hosted by the World Health Organization
in Geneva. 
* The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health unites developing
and donor countries, UN agencies, professional associations, academic
and research institutions, foundations, and NGOs to intensify and harmonize
national, regional and global progress towards the UN Millennium Development
Goals 4 & 5.
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was first released by The World Health Organization
on 12th September 2005. For further information, please visit
their
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Pub: 12 September 2005
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