UN launches $25bn public-private strategy on maternal, infant mortality

The United Nations on Saturday launched an ambitious public-private strategy to end preventable death of women, children and adolescents, staking more than 25 billion dollars in the next five years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strategy aims at providing life-saving treatments, from immunisation to pre-natal care, for women and infants.
The strategy includes new policies and partnerships from 40 countries and no fewer than 100 international organisations, philanthropic foundations, UN agencies, civil societies and the private sector.
Speaking at the launch, Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon said, “the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, which I am proud to launch today, will help to build resilient and healthy societies.
“We have shown that our partnership can yield concrete results.
“I, and the entire UN system, remain dedicated to saving and improving the lives of the most vulnerable amongst us.”
NAN reports that the commitments include 3.3 billion dollars from the United States, 2.6 billion dollars from Canada, and 2.5 billion dollars from Sweden.
Others are 1.3 billion dollars from Germany, 420 million dollars from Norway, 326 million dollars from the Netherlands, and 300 million dollars from the Republic of Korea.
The development came on the heels of the adoption by world leaders on Friday of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The SDGs comprises 17 goals that aim to wipe out extreme poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change over the next 15 years