The role of parliamentarians in achieving MDGs 4 & 5
29 MARCH 2010 | BANGKOK
Special session of the 122nd IPU Assembly
Coordinators: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), PMNCH/Countdown to 2015 and the Government of Thailand
29 March 2010 | Bangkok, Thailand – Hundreds of Parliamentarians and decision-makers at the 122nd Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly were urged to follow the examples of Thailand and Canada – where maternal, newborn and child health have been set as priorities. This message was shared at a special plenary session of the IPU coordinated with the PMNCH/Countdown to 2015 and the host Government of Thailand. PMNCH Director Dr Flavia Bustreo spoke on ‘The role of Parliamentarians in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 & 5.
About a dozen parliamentarians from Canada, Denmark, India, Italy, Malta, Panama and Thailand visited two maternal and child health facilities in city of Bangkok which make up part of the free health system provided to residents and help to improve maternal, newborn and child health and achieve Millennium Development Goals MDGs 4 and 5. Please find more details and photos from the field trip by clicking on the link on the top right hand section of this page.
Special session
The Chair, Thai Senator Dr Porapan Punyaratabandhu set out the challenge of achieving the maternal and child MDGs 4 & 5 and pointed out that with five years to the end-point of the MDGs, "there is known evidence that it is possible to achieve MDGs 4 & 5 if political will and commitment are mobilized through sound policies, legislation and financial resources invested in effective programmes."
In the keynote address, PMNCH Director Dr Bustreo described global trends in achieving MDGs 4 & 5, the case for investing in MNCH, and explored what Parliamentarians can do. Dr Bustreo pointed out both the Countdown to 2015 measurement of progress towards MDGs 4 & 5, as well as the MNCH Consensus, agreed at the time of the United Nations General Assembly 2009. She urged parliamentarians to represent the voices of women and children, legislate to ensure universal access to essential care, oversee government accountability to implement policies, budget for maternal, newborn and child health and advocate nationally and internationally for the Millennium Development Goals.
Hon Lucy Shirley Changwe - Zambia noted that her country has made progress to reduce child mortality and is on-track to achieve MDG 4. However, she noted, maternal mortality reduction remains a challenge. "We are preparing a national plan, and increasing services, and prepared private members’ bills regarding reproductive health.” Hon Changwe called for "collective global action to achieve MDGs 4 & 5."
Hon Jill Hall, Member of Parliament from Australia presented from the donor perspective, calling for other donors governments to take action. As a member of parliament’s health committee, Mrs Hall cited country visits to PNG and the Solomon Islands: "This has led to a Report with specific recommendations, private members bills and subsequently, government action", she pointed out and urged other parliamentarians from donor countries to take similar action.
Thailand\Hon Mrs Kobhul Pancharoenworakul presented the progress which Thailand has made over the past 20 years, noting that as a newly-industrialized country, Thailand’s health care reform since 2001 has made primary health care accessible to all residents, with the result that the country has achieved the MDG goals 4 & 5, and has instigated the MDG-PLUS commitment. Noting both legislation that ensures health to all as a right of the people, she noted that legislation and political will at the highest level, including a maternal-child programme led by HRH Princess Srirasm have worked to drastically reduce maternal and child mortality over the past decade.
From the floor, Canadian Senator Wilbert Keon noted the recently-announced maternal and child health initiative, to be brought as a priority issue by the Canadian Prime Minister to the G-8 Leader’s meeting in June 2010. “We asking today that you act with us,” said Dr Keon. “Parliamentarians, I hope you will be as supportive as you can possibly be, to support the initiative of maternal and early child development a priority in the world.”
Link to Quotes + documents: Several other parliamentarians shared their country’s experiences from the floor of the Plenary, including Uruguay, Tanzania, India, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Burundi. Please find links to more quotes from the session and the documents and presentations from the Special Session from the top right hand corner of this page.
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