Merlin report highlights need for greater investment to cut maternal mortality

May 12, 2009 by gblewis81

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<![endif]--> On 5th May, to coincide with the international day of the midwife, the charity Merlin have released ‘all mothers matter’ as part of their ‘hands up for health workers’ campaign.
    
The report highlights several statistics that evidence suggests need to be addressed in order to meet the 5th Millenium development goal on maternal survival. 75% of maternal deaths are preventable with the presence of a skilled health worker and emergency obstetric care, and more than 50% of maternal deaths occur in fragile-states (defined as countries where the government cannot or will not deliver core functions to the majority of its people). With these in mind, it draws the conclusion that 50% of all health funding must be channeled into health systems and 25% to strengthen health worker capacity in maternal care if the 5th MDG is to me met. Finally, it “calls for urgent reallocation of funding to pay for health workers needed to ensure pregnant women living in countries in crisis are not simply left to die.”

Read the report in full here
 

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