Canada’s Role in Saving Women and Children

MDG 5 – Improving Maternal Health

Ottawa, March 8, 2010

Bridget LynchBoard Member, Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH)‏President, International Confederation of Midwives

Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5

Goal: Improve Maternal Health

Targets:

1. Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and

2015, the maternal mortality ratio

2. Achieve universal access to reproductive

health by 2015

Progress on MDG 5 compared to MDG 4

MDG 4 MDG 5

Progress towards MDG 5 for 43 low-income countriesSource: High Level Taskforce on International Innovative Financing for Health Systems, Working Group 1 Technical Report

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Under 5 mortality: MDG 4 trends to 2015

Actual expected MDG Target

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1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

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Maternal mortality: MDG 5 trends to 2015

MDG 5 Target

The‏Statistics…

500,000 women*

die in childbirth every year 99% of these deaths are in developing countries

50 million women

Suffer from a serious pregnancy related illness or disability following birth

1.2 million newborns

Die every year from complications of delivery

*NOTE: These numbers have not changed since the Safe Motherhood Project

was started in 1987 to reduce maternal mortality

* other direct causes include ectopic pregnancy, embolism, anaesthesia-related** indirect causes include: anaemia, malaria, heart disease, HIV/AIDS.

Source: "Maternal Health Around the World" poster. World Health Organization and World Bank

* other direct causes include ectopic pregnancy, embolism

The Causes…

And‏Lacking‏Skilled‏Care‏at‏Delivery…

World Health Report 2005

The‏Maps…‏

Highest Maternal Mortality Rates

Hemorrhage

The Lancet 2006; 367:1066-1074, Khan et al

Hypertensive DisordersThe Lancet 2006; 367:1066-1074, Khan et al

Critical‏workforce‏shortages…

Source: The World Health Report 2006

World Map Land Area

SASI group and M Newman 2006

Absolute Poverty Globally

War Deaths Globally

Maternal Mortality Globally

Infant Mortality Globally

Availability of Affordable Drugs

Distribution of Physicians

Slides SASI group and M Newman 2006

Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH)

Global health partnership launched in September 2005.

Forged a partnership of the maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) communities

Alliance of 288 members to work towards achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.

Continuum of care across MNCH - Cornerstone of the Partnership’s‏work

PMNCH Structure

Governed by Board Representing 6 Constituencies:

1. UN Agencies 'H4': World Bank, UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO

2. Research and academic institutions

3. Professional associations

4. Bilateral donors and foundations (eg Gates, USAid, DFID, SIDA)

5. Partner countries

6. Non-government organizations (NGOs)

Value added of the Partner-Centric approach

Common identification of problems and goals

Reduction of overlapping of programmatic activities

More efficient use of funding

Collaboration of MNCH efforts at global, regional,

national and local levels

To ensure that the sum of the collaboration is greater

than the individual parts

PMNCH Partners

6%5%

19%

8%

2%

60%

Donors and foundations Partner countries

Research and academic insititions Professional associations

Multilateral organizations NGOs

288 membersJuly 2009

PMNCH Cornerstone: Continuum of care framework

Continuum of care framework includes: Time of care giving – linking skilled care from pregnancy

through postpartum maternal, newborn and child care

Place of care giving – linking the home to the community health centre and the various levels of hospital care

Continuum framework reinforces integrated: delivery of health services

human and financial resources

cohesive advocacy messages

While identifying: Programmatic, resource and health system gaps

PMNCH Priority Actions Strategy and Work Plan 2009 - 2011

1. MNCH knowledge management system

2. MNCH core package of interventions

3. Essential MNCH commodities

4. Strengthening human resources for MNCH

5. Advocacy for increased funding and better positioning of

MNCH in the development agenda

6. Tracking progress and commitment towards MNCH

MNCH Consensus StatementEvery pregnancy wanted, every birth safe, and every

newborn and child healthy

5 Priority Actions to accelerate progress on MDGs 4 and 5

1. Political leadership and community engagement;

2. A quality package of evidence-based interventions, delivered

through effective health systems;

3. Removing barriers to access, with services for services women

and children being free at the point of use where countries

choose

4. Skilled and motivated health workers, in the right place at

the right time with the necessary infrastructure, drugs,

equipment and regulations;

5. Accountability for results.

Canadian Parliamentary Resolution

June 4, 2009

That this House renews its commitment to reducing maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality both

at home and abroad and supports Canadian leadership within government and civil society to

work within G-8 and as partners with UN agencies and appropriate initiatives to achieve this goal.

All-Party resolution unanimously approved by all Members of Parliament.

www.pmnch.org

Thank you!