Of Potet Julien, Health Policy Advisor - Oxfam France
start with the good news that Canada, which will host the next G8 summit in late June , announced a new initiative to combat maternal mortality as a priority. Every day around the world, about a thousand women die in childbirth or soon after. The maternal mortality rates are unacceptable in sub-Saharan Africa. For example, one part in 100 in Sierra Leone ended tragically with the death of his mother.
Canadian plan to improve maternal health includes a wide range of targeted measures with proven effectiveness. All very nice. However, for the moment is very vague on substantive measures to be undertaken.
First of all, we must defend the right of women to own and control their own bodies and to control their own fertility. This applies in particular universal access to voluntary family planning, which was badly neglected by international aid in recent years. 137 million women in developing countries do not want a child at the moment, but do not have access to modern methods of contraception. Almost 15% of maternal deaths in the south are the result of unsafe abortions are often made in secret. Women must have access to urgent means of avoiding unwanted pregnancies. The Canadian Government has included in its family planning initiative. However, for reasons that have more to do with a certain idea of \u200b\u200bmorality, public health, Canada will not provide support for organizations working to make abortions safer.
Secondly, the G8 should reaffirm the importance of providing free care for all pregnant women. All our experience shows us that: when treatment is offered free of obstetrics, the percentage of births occurring in hospital with the support of qualified staff, rather than at home with traditional midwives are not adequately trained, grew so important. But of course all this costs money. The initiative for a free treatment for pregnant women and children was launched last month in Sierra Leone is expected to cost $ 91 million for 2010.
Another key measure is to train more medical professionals. There is a shortage about 4 million medical professionals worldwide, including 350,000 midwives. Moreover, because of the very unsafe working conditions and inadequate pay, too many doctors and nurses can not resist the temptation to emigrate abroad or to the private sector. They need to be encouraged to stay in the public health system, where they are needed, first by offering them decent life and decent working conditions. After decades of hard times imposed by international financial institutions, developing countries need to invest heavily in human resources of their public health systems. The G8 and international donors should not settle for declarations of intent, but I present targets.
Finally, the health infrastructure and support they need to be adequately funded. It is estimated that 15% of births requiring caesarean operations to ensure the survival of mother and child. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 2% of births by caesarean section. It 'important that the geographical units that have Caesarean sections and blood transfusions in case of post-partum haemorrhage has improved remarkably. To date, the Canadian plan is silent on this critical point.
The G8 must demonstrate political courage and should address the shortcomings of health systems in the deep south. Every year for the 49 poorest countries around the world lack 40 billion dollars over the amount needed to upgrade their health systems at the appropriate level. This is a very low cost to provide access to quality health care for all, especially for the tens of millions of women every year are at risk of dying when giving birth.
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