DOHA: The second World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) on February 17-18 will discuss an international report on the importance of integrated maternal and newborn healthcare.
In 2013, over 280,000 women died due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth and 2.9 million newborns died due to lack of care, reveals the report.
The report, developed with Harvard University and Save the Children, is part of a partnership between WISH and the US-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to highlight critical global health and development issues.
In partnership with the foundation, Harvard and Save the Children, WISH will host a special panel session to present some of the report insights to tackle the critical unfinished agenda of reproductive, maternal and newborn health.
The discussion will put forward the case for service integration and provide a platform for debate on critical issues and opportunities that can be mobilised to ensure efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality as a priority. It will also provide five recommendations for healthcare stakeholders committed to improving the health and wellbeing of mothers and newborns.
The panel coincides with the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will replace the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals this year, ensuring that the issue of maternal and child health remains at the forefront of global and national health agendas.
It previews some of the proceedings expected at the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference in October in Mexico City, said a statement yesterday.
“Newborn mortality makes up the majority of all under-five deaths despite the existence of proven, cost-effective interventions that could save the lives of hundreds of thousands more women and newborns each year,” said Mariam Claeson, Director, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Programme, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Professor Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair, WISH, said: “The special WISH policy briefing aims to build the case for integrating policies and services in ways that improve the quality and accessibility of care for mothers and newborns.
“The timely panel will offer tangible, proven and applicable solutions for lowering costs and saving lives.”
The Peninsula
