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News/Event Item
Reproductive Health Activists Call on G-8 For More Funding
July 15, 2008
By Unathi Kondile
A partnership of NGOs, governments, and UN agencies is calling on G-8 leaders to provide more funding to help reduce death rates among pregnant women and infants in the developing world. The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health is asking for US$10 billion to meet previous commitments to global health. The partnership is also asking for new long-term financing. Experts say an increase in funding could prevent at least six million mother and child deaths every year. From Cape Town, Voice of America English to Africa service's Unathi Kondile reports that in recent years donors have provided billions of dollars in funding for maternal, newborn and child health. But health experts say the 68 countries with the highest rates of maternal and child mortality need more.
A total of some US$1 billion per year would be needed to improve services in the African continent alone.
Purnima Mane is a top official with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA:) "The expectation that I have is that national governments will increase their own budgets to these areas because unless you put up your own budgets – no donor is going to be interested to put money. Secondly, I hope that some of the donors [will increase their contributions]. – I know that some of the donors have already [done so, including] Norway, Canada, to mention a few, have already put in extra funding this year and given more money to these areas. And it's not like they're talking - they're giving."
© 2008 newsVOAcom Voice of America
For full article, visit:
http://www.voanews.com/english/Africa/2008-07-15-voa16.cfm
category: News from Other Sources : General Health News
contributed by Liza Nanni on 16 July 2008
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