CONFERENCE: Health Equity: Our Global Responsibility

25-28 OCTOBER 2009, OTTAWA

Event: Health Equity: Our Global Responsibility
Organizer: 16th Annual Canadian Conference on International Health
Event dates: 25-28 October 2009
Venue: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

The Conference examined inequities of health status, and the impact on the health of marginalized, vulnerable and Indigenous populations of changing environments, whether these changes are due to climate, technology, the economy or threats to human security.  

Theme areas
  • Day 1: Ethics and Responsibility, Economics and Social Determinants
  • Day 2: Global Health Diplomacy (GHD)
  • Day 3:  Social Determinants of Health: Think Globally, Act Locally

MNCH at the 16th Annual Canadian Conference on International Health

Bridget Lynch, President ICM, PMNCH Board Member, at the 16th Annual Canadian Conference on International Health
Bridget Lynch, President ICM, at the 16th Annual Canadian Conference on International Health
Canadian Conference focuses on maternal, newborn and child health

25-28 OCTOBER 2009 | OTTAWA – Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, and specifically MDGs 4 & 5, were main topics at the 16th Conference on International Health in Canada. Two PMNCH Board members from Canada and Bangladesh presented the case for increased aid to save maternal and young child lives and the role of The Partnership in achieving the MDGs.

G8 and the Role of Governments in Global Health Diplomacy

Bridget Lynch, PMNCH Board member and President, International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) spoke on the panel G8 Diplomacy and the Role of Governments in achieving the MDGs, joining the Director General of Canadian Development Agency, CIDA, Christopher MacLennan, and GAVI Alliance representative, Alex Palacios in the discussion.

Mr MacLennan noted CIDA’s priority actions for coming years, including children and youth, food security, and sustainable growth. Mr Palacios noted GAVI’s new International Financing Facility as one alternative to ensure sustainable financing for development. Ms Lynch spoke to the centrality of the mother and the continuum of care for the health of children, the family and the as indicators of a healthy, functioning health system. Quoting Joy Phumaphi, from the World Bank, Ms Lynch pointed out that ‘maternal and child health programs are the best investments countries can make to improve overall health and help people lift themselves out of poverty’.

Rolling out the MDGs in Countries

Dr Kaosar Afsana, PMNCH Board member and BRAC Associate Director, Health Programme took part in a panel discussion on ‘Rolling out the MDGs in Countries’, presenting the six priority actions of the Partnership in the context of working in country and worldwide to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality. Consultant from the project, PAIMAN, in Bangladesh, Dr Peter Hatcher presented the case study of the PAIMAN project to improve MNCH health. Mr ID Rusen ,of the International Union of Tuberculosis, presented on the FIDELIS project to reduce incidence and mortality from TB.

MNCH Presentations at the CCIH
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