Paul Farmer supports A Million Moms

(Paul Farmer talking about better health services for maternal and child health.)

Over the years, many programs have focused on the need for greater support and focus on women’s rights, maternal health, and the important role of mothers when it comes to healthy children, families, and populations. Not all programs have been implemented equally, some have been more condescending to women than supportive and others just were not enough to have a real impact. The focus on women seems to come and go like a fad – now prominent with The Girl Effect. Hopefully we see the focus on Moms and maternal health stick around with some strong research to support programs with a focus on family and population health.

Over the years this blog has also hosted a debate that we can’t throw other programs out of the window just because women focused programs are the fad. There is still a place for engaging men and arguably one that cannot be ignored. Men may not seem to have as much influence on family health, but men are the ones who often hold the decision-making power for the family or community. Therefore, to disengage men potentially jeopardizes the success of any program success targeting women.

Today was an hour-long tweetchat for #AMillionMoms - the A Million Moms Challenge part of ABC News’ Save a Life Program sponsored by The Gates Foundation

This week saw the continued striking of Nigerian doctors as well as  empty promises of stretched health ministries and US food aid. Our blog hosted a bright discussion on HIV/AIDS in South Africa highlighting the issues of Gender Based Violence and the use of pornography to influence health behaviors and education. Please let us know what you think in the comments, we’d love to start a conversation! If you are interested in submitting a guest post – submit here.

Sierra Leone: Unfulfilled Promises of Free Maternal Health Care for Mothers

Marie Musa, 37, is devastated. After the mother of four gave premature birth, her baby boy died a few hours later – because the hospital did not have enough incubators to rescue the infant. In August, the same month that Musa’s baby died in hospital, James Bamie Davies, commissioner of the customs and excise department of Sierra Leone’s National Revenue Authority (NRA), announced in a government gazette an auction of medical appliances, including eight incubators. Only the public outcry that followed the announcement of the auction in the gazette, did the Ministry of Health and Sanitation spring into action and recover the goods.

Uganda: Nine Million Face Hunger

As Uganda joins the word to mark World Food Day today, Isaac Khisa looks at Uganda’s strides in ensuring that every citizen has at least a meal a day Uganda today joins the rest of the world in celebrating World Food Day but with millions of its population still malnourished. According to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisations, nine million Ugandans are still facing hunger with many affording only one meal a day. Uganda population is now estimated at 31 million, meaning that about 30 per cent of Ugandans can hardly find something to eat.

Zimbabwe: Diarrhea claims 4000 yearly

About 4 000 children die from diarrhoea in Zimbabwe each year due to poor hygiene and unsafe drinking water, a United Nations senior official said last week. In a speech read on his behalf at the annual commemorations of the Global Hand-Washing Day held in Mutoko last week, Unicef country representative Dr Peter Salama said hand-washing is the single most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrhoea.

Benin: Disease Spreads as Floods Continue

Two-thirds of the African nation of Benin is underwater, with at least 43 people killed and nearly 100,000 made homeless. Heavy rain began falling at the start of October, and the Rivers Oueme and Mono soon overflowed. Thousands of hectares of land, mostly used for growing rice and other vegetables are now underwater. “Here, the water isn’t going away. We have it up to our knees and now it’s as high as our thighs,” said one resident. “The water, it’s everywhere, and it’s very difficult for people to escape.

South Africa: The Real Health Deal

Health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will today sign the “real deal” with nine provincial health MECs and eight ministers, giving South Africans a shot at “a long and healthy life”. The Negotiated Service Delivery Agreement (NSDA) gives a frank, but brutal assessment of South Africa’s healthcare system and at the same time commits “not to keep doing things as usual” in finding solutions.

As the United Nations Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (a set of eight goals aimed at eradicating poverty) comes to a close, one thing is apparent. The health-related development goals are in the most danger of not being met by the 2015 deadline.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon stressed the importance of the revamped push towards maternal health and reduction of child mortality rates. Throughout the summit, UN officials, world leaders and other speakers emphasized the progress made since the Millennium Declaration in 2000, rather than the shortcomings. Out of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), improving maternal health and reducing child mortality rates are the two goals lagging behind (and account for two out of the three health-related MDGs.)[1]

Ban Ki-Moon declared the start of a $40 Billion Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health on the the last day of the summit. The project will involve several international health agencies and expects to reach 15 million women and children. Ki-Moon explained the importance of women’s and children’s health saying, “Investing in women’s and children’s health has a multiplier effect across the millennium development goals.” Queen Rania of Jordan emphasized that the shortcoming are an institutional problem, not an individual problem. The influential queen said, “These women are working hard…But their time is not efficient.” According to the U.N., improvement of women’s and children’s health is possible by 2015. [2]

The multi-billion dollar global strategy includes projects throughout the world in countries like Afghanistan and several African countries. The Nigerian, Liberian and Rwandan governments have pledged to spend more money on women’s health by increasing training of midwives. In Afghanistan, the government plans to increase access to contraceptives for women in need. In addition, Planned Parenthood will redouble their efforts in 173 different countries.

Although these efforts are admirable and additional attention to health related MDGs have proven necessary, is it possible to achieve thus far unmet needs by the 2015 deadline? And why are women’s and children’s health the most neglected of the MDGs? The United Nations has already been criticized for making too lofty a program without effective strategy. Only time will tell whether the United Nations, and the rest of the international community will actually make the effort to give more for women’s and children’s health.

---

[1] Oloruntoba, Bunmi. “Women and Children the Focus of Achieving the MDGs.” AllAfrica.com. 24 September 2010.

[2] Ward, Olivia. “$40 Billion promised at UN for maternal, child health.” TheStar.com. 22 September 2010.

—–

Olivia is the new Communications Intern who will be managing the blog and working with social media outreach. Apply to write a guest post or join the blog team [Learn more]