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As David Cameron heads to his first G8 meeting, Save the Children is warning that the lives of millions of children and their mothers are on the line if G8 leaders fail to double their maternal and child health spending from $2bn to $4bn at this year’s summit in Canada.
The Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, has put maternal and child health at the top of the agenda. But despite this pledge, there are worrying signs from G8 negotiating teams that some rich countries – such as Italy and Germany - are trying to dodge financial commitments. It’s also unclear how much of the planned funding in the announcement will be recycled from previous commitments.
In order to combat the deaths of nearly nine million children under five and 350,000 mothers every year, the G8 leaders must pledge an extra $2 billion dollars or £1.4 billion at this summit. The $2 billion pricetag represents the G8’s fair share in filling the gap in funding for maternal, newborn and child health in the 49 countries where most children under five and mothers die.
This modest sum – less than double the cost of the G8 Summit itself - would pay for an additional 2.5 million health professionals and 1 million community health workers. When Cameron and other major world leaders gather in Muskoka, Canada, on June 25 they will consider for the first time a G8 initiative specifically aimed at slashing the high numbers of preventable deaths among newborn babies, young children and their mothers. Concrete action, both practical and financial, at the G8 this year could put in place the steps to save millions of lives.
It would also make economic sense. A study by Save the Children and the ODI found that a 5% improvement in child survival rates raises the economic growth of a country by 1% per year over the next decade.
Patrick Watt, Head of Development Policy at Save the Children, said: “Cameron must be bold, show confident leadership and a commitment to saving the lives of children and their mothers. While we’re tightening our belts at home, he must demonstrate that we are not an insular nation but a global leader on development.”
Mr Watt continued: “If the wealthiest nations in the world — which together account for more than half the world economy — can’t agree and adopt a bold plan of action on such a basic issue, who can? Unless all G8 leaders rally together again this year, the summit risks delivering more of a whimper than the bold breakthrough children need .
Save the Children also condemns the fact that pledges made five years ago at the G8 in Gleneagles - to increase aid to Africa by $25 billion - have been quietly sidelined in the G8 communique.
Mr Watt continued: “Real progress has been made since that landmark summit, especially by the UK - but collectively the G8 has failed to deliver even half of what it promised to Africa. The global downturn has hit the poorest countries hardest and it is shameful that some G8 countries are using it as an excuse to backpedal on their commitments.”
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