Countdown to 2015 for Maternal, Newborn and Child Survival

 

 

 

Introductory remarks were given on behalf of the Hon. Ms Baleka Mbete, Speaker of the South African Assembly by H.E. M. Mahlangu, and Speaker of the National Council of Provinces.  H.E. Mahlangu welcomed delegates to the Countdown to 2015 Conference and Inter-Parliamentary Union joint session which provided a unique opportunity to assess progress to reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5.

 

The Most Reverend Njongonkulu Ndugane, President of the African Monitor provided the opening statement to delegates. The Most Rev Ndugane reminded delegates that governments need encouragement, including pressure, to uphold their promises. Sustainable efforts to improve maternal, newborn and child survival, he said, must be part of a wider picture of accountability, within the context of economic growth, safety and security.

Dr Richard Horton, Editor, The Lancet shared the timeline of events leading up to the 2008 Countdown to 2015 meeting. Dr Horton asserted the important link between Countdown and the Inter-Parliamentary Union; that political commitment by parliamentarians is the difference between success and failure. Dr Horton refuted the belief that health is a marginal issue compared to the economy or security . He called not only for a public health commitment, but also for a political commitment, one that will result in action.

 

• Mr Anders Johnnson, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
• Dr Richard Horton, Editor, The Lancet
  

	Anders Johnsson, Secretary General, IPU   "The Countdown Initiative has given MP's a gift because you have made this information accessible and you are eager to share it with us. The civil society, international NGOs and health workers are the different communities that need to come together to work with us, the parliamentarians."
	Yoshio Yatsu, Member of the House of Representatives, Japan   Mr Yatsu shared  Japan’s plan for doubling aid to African countries in three years and asserted that parliamentarians will not be limited to words, but will indeed take action to improve maternal, newborn and child survival.

Daisy Mafubelu, Assistant-Director General, WHO spoke about how the UN system can and must do more to support countries by helping them to identify gaps and translate science into the language of politics.

Ann Starrs, President,  Family Care International discussed how the civil society can support parliamentarians. She explained that it was a new insight that parliamentarians would like to be approached with good information and concrete plans, and with opportunities to work together to achieve similar goals.

Chok Wan Chan, President, International Paediatric Assocation (IPA) responded to a question on how health professionals could assist in the policy-making process among parliamentarians, explaining that first we need to translate technical health language into the language of financing and politics.

Finn Martin Vallersnes, Member of the Parliament, Norway agreed that donor countries need to listen more directly to colleagues, including the civil society in developing countries, and joining IPU and Countdown to 2015 has provided such a vehicle.

Interventions from the floor

 

	Deputy Minister of Health, Iraq   “All of us and with all our efforts will not reach the MDG 4 and 5 goals without convincing decision-makers in governments. Whether democratic or dictatorships, we must convince decision-makers within the budget setting process. Also the executive in each country needs to first prioritise maternal and child health, and allocate enough funding for this work."
	Special advisor to the President, Afghanistan   "We need to work on the concept of health. Once we educate our decision-makers on the holistic concept of health they will understand that health is related to global warming, terrorism, food security, and everything else."
	Janina Anderson, Member of the Parliament, Finland   "I have been a Member of Parliament for 40 years and involved in these issues.  But this week, I learned two new things that made me angry:  In some countries, doctors cannot perform life-saving caesarean sections without the husband giving consent.  This is not a question of money, just attitude. Also, bleeding after childbirth takes the lives of many women.  There is a pill that can stop this, but the pill is not yet legal in many countries, partly because it can be used for contraception.   We must work together to change this."