New recommendations to increase access to health commodities
NEW YORK, 22 May 2012 – Affordable, life-saving medicines and health supplies with the potential to save millions of lives are not reaching the children and women who most need them. To help change this, members of the United Nations Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children has reviewed and finalized recommendations to help increase access, reduce costs, and increase demand for 13 products. Co-chaired by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, the Commission aims to help overcome persistent barriers to the production, distribution and rational use of 13 often overlooked, life-saving commodities. On the right: Norway’s Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, with Nigeria's Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, representing the Nigerian President. Photo: Etienne Franca/UNFPA
World Health Assembly: Briefing on preterm birth
21-26 MAY 2012 | GENEVA – More than 70 participants from 30 countries gathered for a special briefing at the World Health Assembly (WHA) to discuss new evidence on preterm birth based on the report Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth. The report shows preterm birth causes 1.1 million deaths yearly and is now the second leading cause of under-five mortality. Other events and documents related to women and children’s health at this WHA include debate on new nutrition targets, introduction of a new Global Vaccine Action Plan, a side event by the independent Expert Review Group related to Accountability Commission and reports on progress of the health-related Millennium Development Goals.
G8 Declaration: new pledges for nutrition, food security and accountability
18-19 MAY 2012 – In the 2012 G8 Declaration, leaders pledged to fulfill outstanding L’Aquila financial pledges and take new steps to accelerate progress towards food security and nutrition in Africa and globally. They referenced the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, announced by President Obama and welcomed the Accountability Report and “the important progress that the G8 has made on food security ... and in meeting (our) commitments on global health, including the Muskoka Initiative on maternal, newborn and child health." Before the G8, the Chair of the PMNCH Board and the Director of PMNCH each wrote a Blog/editorial asking G8 leaders to not waver on their commitments to RMNCH.
PMNCH Board meets in New York
02-04 MAY 2012 | UNFPA, NEW YORK - The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Board members held a successful spring board meeting in New York USA, kindly hosted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). As well as the launch event and reception for the Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth, UNFPA and DFID also took the opportunity to convene a Stakeholder Consultation for the up-coming Family Planning Summit planned for July 2012. World Vision International hosted a dinner for participants on the evening of 3rd May.
