CARE India to scale up investment in India to help attain MDG targets in maternal and child health

Delhi/ New York, Sept 24

With United Nation’s summit on Millennium Development Goals (MDG) renewing efforts to attain the targets by 2015 and India asking the rich nations to fulfil commitments on funds and technology transfer, leading global civil society groups have announced scaling up of their investments to improve the maternal and child health in the developing countries, including India.

Amid apprehensions that efforts to achieve the goals were falling short in many countries including India, CARE International Confederation led the pack of humanitarian organisations by committing $ 1.8 billion for maternal, newborn and child health programmes in the next five years in the select countries including India. The organisations are raising the budgets to fill the gap between the investment needed and what is currently provided for improving the health of women and children, backing up the strategy and goals of the UN.

“We are pleased to be making a 1.8 billion dollars commitment here as a part of the Summit. Our commitment is to scale up and to expand our work in maternal and child health. All of CARE International is pooling its resources together as we know that the death of women in pregnancy and child birth is unacceptable. We know what could be done to save mother and children and we are committed to doing it. The funding will come to India also, especially states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh where maternal mortality rates are poor,’’ said Helene D Gayle, President and the CEO of CARE USA.

CARE India, an affiliate member of CARE International and working since 1950, will be spending the allocation through its health programmes to impact maternal and child mortality and malnutrition among the most vulnerable populations in eight Indian states.

“The benefits of these programmes will reach about 16 million women and children and the CARE India team will finalise the programmes after the allocation will be finalised,’’ said Mr Basanta Kar, Director Advocacy and Maternal Health Expert, CARE India.

India is also one of those countries striving hard to achieve the MDG targets, especially on maternity and child health. Differentials in the maternal mortality rates in tribal Indian states vis-à-vis the national average are high. The national average is 254 per 100,000 live births when last measured in 2004-06. In Indian states with sizeable tribal populations such as Bihar and Jharkhand it was 312 per 100,000, in Chhattisgarh: 335, Orissa: 303 and in Rajasthan: 388, he said quoting from the latest reports.

On the sidelines of the summit which concluded on September 22, civil society representatives met to highlight the necessity of reaching indigenous people with basic services. The groups led by CARE called upon the leaders for the social inclusion of indigenous people around the world, through tailored interventions which respect their diversity and cultural uniqueness. Efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by the 2015 deadline will be undermined if steps are not taken to include these communities.

“We strongly urge the United Nations to include social indicators for the MDGs that give face to cultural diversity and respect the right of cultural expression for tribal people globally. This will help us to reach them and monitor interventions for better health and education outcomes,” said Basanta Kar. He added that in India there is a need to design policies and programmes to reach the tribals who are not able to easily access or utilise government services, especially those related to maternal and child health.

“UN leaders should adopt and implement a bold plan on maternal and newborn health, building on the momentum created at the G8 in Canada and linking closely with the financial, political and programmatic commitments from the UN Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health,’’ CARE urged in its representation ahead of the plenary session in the Summit.

CARE is a humanitarian organisation working in India since 1950. CARE India is an affiliate member of the CARE International Confederation based in Geneva. By developing the potential of women and girls, CARE helps millions of people effect real, positive changes in their lives, every year. Through its health programme, CARE reaches 16 million women and children, impacting maternal and child mortality and malnutrition amongst the most vulnerable populations, in eight states across India.

Media Contacts:

Amelia Andrews, Manager Communications, aandrews@careindia.org,

ph; 09313869174

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Fri, 09/24/2010 - 00:00 by admin 0