Washington, June 4, 2010 — World Health Organization experts are speaking at the launch of a new report on maternal and child health that starts Monday in Washington, in conjunction with the "Women Deliver" conference June 7-9. Reducing child mortality and improving maternal health are two of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for 2015 that were set by 189 countries at the United Nations in 2000.
WHAT: Women Deliver 2010 and Countdown to 2015 for Maternal, Newborn & Child Survival
WHEN: Monday, June 7 to Wednesday, June 9, 2010
WHERE: The Washington Convention Center, 801 Mount Vernon Pl NW, Washington DC, USA
Countdown to 2015 is a global movement of academics, governments, UN agencies, foundations, health care associations and nongovernmental organizations formed in 2005 to track progress in reducing maternal and child deaths in the 68 countries where over 95% of these deaths occur. The movement aims to raise awareness and stimulate country action to accelerate progress towards reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.
Elizabeth Mason, Director of WHO's Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development, is slated to give the introduction and overview of policies and systems on the 2010 Countdown findings on Wednesday June 9 at 11 am.
Other WHO speakers include Ties Boerma, Director, Health Statistics and Informatics, in a session Monday June 7 at 1:30pm, on "Recent findings on equity: results from 38 Countdown countries." Bernadette Daelmans, Medical Officer, Department of Child and Adolescent Health, will speak on community-based approaches to care for newborns and children on Monday at 3:15 pm.
The Countdown report for 2010 contains good news—many countries are making progress, reducing mortality and increasing coverage of effective health interventions at an accelerating pace. But the news is not all good. Many Countdown countries are still off track for achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 (reduce child mortality) and 5 (improve maternal health), and are not increasing coverage of key health interventions quickly enough.
The WHO experts on maternal, newborn and child health available for interview include:
- Dr Elizabeth MASON (Director, Child and Adolescent Health and Development)
- Dr Monir ISLAM (Director, Making Pregnancy Safer)
- Dr Ties BOERMA (Director, Health Statistics and Informatics)
- Dr Bernadette DAELMANS (Medical Officer, Newborn and Child Health and Development)
To set up interviews, contact: Marie-Agnes Heine (Mobile: +41 794 495 784) or Dan Epstein (Telephone: +1 202 974 3459)
For details on the Countdown conference, see http://www.countdown2015mnch.org/.
- Dr Elizabeth MASON (Director, Child and Adolescent Health and Development)
- Dr Monir ISLAM (Director, Making Pregnancy Safer)
- Dr Ties BOERMA (Director, Health Statistics and Informatics)
- Dr Bernadette DAELMANS (Medical Officer, Newborn and Child Health and Development)
To set up interviews, contact: Marie-Agnes Heine (Mobile: +41 794 495 784) or Dan Epstein (Telephone: +1 202 974 3459)
For details on the Countdown conference, see http://www.countdown2015mnch.org/.
