Tag Archives: women

New Commitments at the 64th World Assembly 2011

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Today at the World Health Assembly, 16 countries made new commitments to the UN Secretary-General’s Global Strategy on Women’s and Children’s Health. The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It meets annually to determine policies for the Organization. With new commitments made this year to the Global Strategy on Women’s and Children’s Health, great strides will be made in maternal and child health. United Nations Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon expresses the impact of addressing issues affecting mothers and children:

“Every woman, Every Child. This focus is long overdue. With the launch of the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health, we have an opportunity to improve the health of hundreds of millions of women and children around the world, and in so doing, to improve the lives of all people.”

Dr. Rajiv Shah discusses global health topics at National Institutes of Health

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Yesterday at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Administrator of USAID Dr. Raj Shah made a speech touching on the most pressing issues in global health. Highlights from the speech include:

  • President Obama’s Global Health Initiative continues to make a significant impact in the health of the developing world
  • Using science and technology to reduce deaths, save lives, and treat those who are infected with HIV, TB, and other communicable diseases
  • A focus on maternal and child health, specifically on family planning and its unmet need
  • A mention of NTDs, rotavirus, strengthening health systems, and the urgent need to reach those who do not have access to healthcare

A transcript of the speech can be found on USAID’s website.

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Advocating for Maternal Health and NTDs

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By: Christopher Lindahl

The relationship between maternal health and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is pretty well documented here, here, here, here, and here. It seems pretty clear that controlling NTDs will have a positive impact on maternal health.

However, another way to think about the relationship between maternal health and NTDs is to look at the similarities between the two, as global health issues, and develop ways that advocates can learn from each other regarding how to best promote solutions.

The Global Network site provides a summary of facts about NTDs that reads similarly to what one might say about maternal health. Basically, substituting “maternal mortality” for “NTDs” (with some editing for context) leaves you with statements that are still true.

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WHO Director General Highlights NTDs At 128th Session of the Executive Board

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Just yesterday, the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) opened its 128th session. Director-General Margaret Chan opened the session highlighting public health successes and challenges.

She spoke in particular about the importance of integrated control of neglected tropical diseases and emphasized how pharmaceutical commitments, like those made at the WHO Neglected Tropical Disease Report launch last October will enable many more people to recieve the vital drugs needed to treat these diseases.

To read the full speech click here. (Please note that the section on neglected tropical diseases is highlighted!)