Study finds millions of lives can be saved

PREVENTABLE deaths of mothers and children could be virtually wiped out within a generation, according to new research.

The study, published in The Lancet, suggests that improving pregnancy and delivery care, as well as treating killer infectious diseases – such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria – along with better nutrition, could save the lives of millions.

Scientists analysed the potential impact on deaths and costs of scaling up 66 key health interventions in 74 low and middle-income countries, that together account for more than 95 per cent of all mother and child deaths.

They estimate satisfying 90 per cent of the global unmet need for contraception in the Reproductive Health package could avert 28 million births each year. This would prevent 67,000 maternal deaths from childbirth, 910,000 newborn and child deaths, and over 560,000 stillbirths every year that would have happened at current rates of fertility and mortality.

Alternatively, scaling up all interventions in the additional two packages of Maternal and Newborn Health and Child Health to 90 per cent coverage could save four million lives every year.

Despite the enormity of the problem the cost per person is highly affordable.

All three packages could be immediately scaled up to nearly all people in need with an investment of US$6.2 billion (£4.4bn) in low-income countries, US$12.4 billion (£8.8bn) in lower middle income countries, and US$8 billion (£5.7bn) in upper income countries.

Professor Robert Black, of Johns Hopkins University in the US, said: “Our analysis clearly shows not only can the majority of these key services be delivered by health workers in the community or in primary health centres, which can increase access and keep even more mothers and children alive and healthy, but that scale up of capacity is a feasible and highly cost effective investment.”