The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: To Focus on Maternal and Child Health

Filed in archive Child Health , Maternal Health on June 8, 2010

© Space Ritual

Previously focusing on infectious diseases, vaccines and HIV and AIDS, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation said it would spend $1.5 billion over the next five years on maternal and child health, family planning and nutrition programs in developing countries, emphasizing the foundation's new health focus.

In developing countries, pregnancy and child birth often end in a tragic death. Mainly due to lack of education, health experts and clean supplies needed for pregnancy and childbirth. This problem however can be solved at cheaper rates. Such is the premise on the new focus of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

In a speech on Monday in a conference in Washington DC, Melinda Gates said:

"Pregnancy and childbirth often "end in tragedy" in poor countries, but that most of the deaths could be prevented at a "stunningly" low cost. The world must come together to save women's and children's lives."

Melinda Gates said that much of the next $1.5 billion would go to programs in India, Ethiopia and other countries where mothers and children have relatively high death rates.