Since the initial set up of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s), a typhoon of initiatives, partnerships, alliances, and statements have been launched in effort to both promote awareness of the issues at hand and urge governments in developing nations to action. Most in particular, the push for the fulfillment of goal number 4 and 5 have led UN agencies such as UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP and UN Women to launch campaigns that highlight the importance of these goals, given the touched upon child health and maternal mortality.
As we approach 2015 and the rushed consideration for how to proceed beyond the deadline becomes the main focus for all talks, a key question to ask ourselves is whether, and how, progress towards participatory global governance, global partnerships and the holistic systems approach to child mortality and maternal health can transform outcomes?
The WHO had created the Partnership of Maternal and Newborn Child Health (PMNCH) division, which brought together NGO’s and international health organizations that focused on maternal health. The division highlighted that a global partnership was needed in order to tackle maternal health issues in countries such as Papua New Guinea and India while also supporting the unique differences of each organization to help contribute to the big picture. For example, the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology (ISUOG), with their Outreach programs focusing on ultrasound in OB/GYN training in under-served regions, joined forces with WHO in providing details of ultrasound needs worldwide and the particular benefit of the technology in improving perinatal and maternal mortality ratios.
This helped transform outcomes, through giving insight into a particular niche within women’s health that proved crucial in helping identifying issues and anomalies that could be prevented with this technology, and ISUOG has collaborated with other organizations of the partnership (i.e.: FIGO, UNFPA, etc) to deliver ultrasound technology or offer aid to doctors in OB/GYN.
But is this the most systemically effective method towards achieving both sustainable results post-2015 and help under-served countries finally improve their levels of female mortality? Are partnerships vital in general to help reach desired outcomes?
Let’s get the discussion following and answer below!
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