USAID’s New Vision for Maternal Health
USAID’s forum outlines plans for dramatically reducing maternal mortality post-2015.
Today, EMC’s founder, Christy Turlington Burns and Executive Director, Erin Thornton are participating in an important forum being co-hosted by U.S Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Governments of Ethiopia and India, in collaboration with UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners. USAID will be unveiling a new plan, entitled Acting on the Call: Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths, that intends to save hundreds of thousands of women and children in 24 high-priority countries by 2020.
Part of the day will focus on celebrating success and that celebration is warranted. Since 1990, the number of deaths of children under age five has been reduced by 50% and maternal mortality has been more than halved. Attendance at birth by a skilled provider has increased from 27% in 1990 to 51% in 2013. These numbers indicate real progress, but now is no time to rest on laurels. We are still far from reaching our maternal and child mortality goals and we continue to lose lives unnecessarily every day.
The new plan outlined today signals a shift from USAID to concentrate efforts on the 24 countries where 70% of maternal and child deaths take place (full list below). The U.S. estimates that a concentrated effort from all partners in these 24 countries could save as many as 600,000 women’s and 15 million children’s lives by 2020. The plan includes care provided for women from pre-conception through postpartum, and integrated with perinatal care. That includes family planning, infectious disease control, optimal nutrition, and attention to water, sanitation, and hygiene in a strong health system that links households and communities to health care facilities.
In order to achieve these goals, USAID recognizes that they must improve the availability, distribution and performance of health workers. They’ll also be releasing The Maternal Health Vision for Action, which outlines how USAID will work to support the global goal to reduce the recommended but as yet unofficial maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to an average of less than 70 per 100,000 live births by 2030, and to less than 50 per 100,000 live births by 2035. Their plan includes:
- Expanding care to address indirect causes of maternal death, including HIV and AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, malnutrition, and other diseases
- Ensuring quality and respectful care that promotes dignity and empathy
- Moving toward universal health coverage
- Advancing partnerships with the private sector
- Ensuring accountability for quality respectful care by supporting national and global advocacy and putting information in the hands of citizens
We’re proud of the progress that’s already been made and optimistic that our global partners will continue making progress on what’s at the core of Every Mother Counts mission — making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother. Check back later for pictures from this event and be sure and check out the “LEARN” and “ACT” pages on our website to find out how you can be part of the vision to improve maternal health.
The countries they’re targeting are those with the highest burden of maternal and child mortality and include:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh,
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- South Sudan
- Tanzania
- Uganda
- Yemen
- Zambia
