Reflections on Three Years as President of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (original) (raw)
Related papers
Safe motherhood: the FIGO initiative
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 2003
Over the last twenty years the international community-realizing that the tragedy of women dying during pregnancy and in childbirth could no longer be tolerated-launched a series of initiatives aimed at making safe motherhood a cornerstone of health services in all countries. Making pregnancy and delivery safe events is particularly complex, as it involves infrastructural and logistic, as well as technical, issues. Women die because they have no access to skilled personnel during pregnancy and at the time of delivery and because-if an emergency situation arises-they cannot reach a facility where emergency obstetric services are available. FIGO, the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology-as the only global organization representing the Obstetricians of the world-decided some time ago that it could not limit its activities to proposing technical guidelines and debating scientific issues. It had to move into the field and, through its affiliated societies, help change the ability of the multitude of women in the developing world to obtain skilled attendance at birth. In 1997, plans were made to launch activities in five areas where maternal mortality was particularly high: Central America
Safe motherhood: a brief history of the global movement 19472002
British Medical Bulletin, 2003
The health of mothers has long been acknowledged to be a cornerstone of public health and attention to unacceptably high level of maternal mortality has been a feature of global health and development discussions since the 1980s. However, although a few countries have made remarkable progress in recent years, the reality has not generally followed the rhetoric. Health and development partners have failed to invest seriously in safe motherhood and examples of large-scale and sustained programmes are rare. Safe motherhood has tended to be seen as a subset of other programmes such as child survival or reproductive health and is often perceived to be too complex or costly for under-resourced and overstretched health care systems that have limited capacity. Despite this, a consensus has emerged about the interventions needed to reduce maternal mortality and there are good examples (historical and contemporary) of what can be achieved within a relatively short time period. The activities of both grassroots organizations and international health and development agencies have helped to build political will and momentum. Further progress in improving maternal health will require outspoken and determined champions from within the health system and the medical community, particularly the obstetricians and gynaecologists, and from among decision-makers and politicians. But in addition, substantial and long-term funding-by governments and by donor agencies-is an essential and still missing component.
On Women's Health and Rights Lectures, speeches and statements
Preface The International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics FIGO has upheld the view that women's health is often compromized, not because of lack of medical knowledge, but because of infringement on women's God given human rights. FIGO eminent leadership and members, with others, took their stand, in word and action, beside and behind women in their just struggle. Many of my generation have already left our world stage or are getting ready for their exit. We are leaving an agenda unfinished and a challenge that still stands. But we have full trust in a new generation of women's health professionals to carry the torch forward.
Almost five years since the strategy and subsequent Every Woman Every Child movement launched, this report provided the Secretary-General with an opportunity to report back to Member States and other stakeholders on the progress made and lessons learned under the Global Strategy. The report also sets the rationale for continued and accelerated action on the unfinished MDG agenda. - See more at: http://www.everywomaneverychild.org/global-strategy-2/gs2-progress-report#sthash.WwK7D5P6.dpuf
The Safe Motherhood Initiative: why has it stalled?
American Journal of Public Health, 1999
A deep, dark continuous stream of mortality ... how long is this sacrifice to go on?" William Farr, the first registrar general of England and Wales, asked this question about maternal mortality in England in 1838'; a century and a half later, we still have not answered it. While the risk of dying in childbirth is now very slight in industrialized countries, in large parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America maternal mortality is still an everyday event. According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), 585 000 women die each year-more than one each minute-of pregnancy-related causes.2 Nearly all of these deaths take place in developing countries. At present, an estimated 1 woman in 12 will die of maternal causes in West Africa, compared with 1 woman in 4000 in northern Europe.