Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces Canada’s Contribution to the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

June 25, 2010

HUNTSVILLE, ONTARIO – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that following the Muskoka Summit, the total Canadian contribution for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health will be $2.85 billion over five years.  In addition to $1.1 billion in new money, the Government will also renew existing funding of $1.75 billion over the next five years, for what will be a permanent and long-term commitment.
 
“I am very pleased to announce Canada’s contribution to this critical initiative.  Our contribution will make significant, tangible differences in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people,” said the Prime Minister.  “Canada led the way in mobilizing support among G-8 and non-G-8 leaders, key donors and private foundations for this initiative to reduce the mortality rates of mothers and their children.  We have been successful.”
 
Accountability for results will be an integral part of Canada’s contribution to the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Initiative.  We will design a rigorous accountability framework to measure our progress, track results and ensure that Canadians’ aid dollars are used effectively to contribute to a sustainable reduction in maternal and child mortality.

 

 

Backgrounder
Saving the Most Vulnerable: Canada’s Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

Following the Muskoka Summit, the total Canadian contribution for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health will be $2.85 billion over five years.  In addition to $1.1 billion in new money, the Government will also renew existing funding of $1.75 billion over the next five years, for what will be a permanent and long-term commitment.
 
Targeting the leading causes of maternal, newborn and child mortality, Canada’s efforts will support comprehensive and integrated approaches to provide the necessary health services for mothers and children.
 
In alignment with the principles established at the Halifax G-8 Development Ministers’ Meeting last April, Canada’s programming efforts will be fully integrated into country-led plans on maternal, newborn and child health, and will focus on a limited number of high-risk countries such as Haiti, Afghanistan, Mali, Tanzania and Mozambique.
 
Recognizing significant needs in sub-Saharan Africa, about 80 per cent of Canadian funding will be targeted to countries in that part of the world.  Our efforts to improve maternal, newborn and early childhood health will build on the our Government’s existing funding of $1.75 billion over the next five years — to bring Canada’s total funding between now and 2015 to $2.85 billion
 
For mothers and newborns, Canada will focus its efforts on improving the services and care needed to ensure healthy pregnancies and safe delivery, while placing a particular emphasis on meeting the nutritional needs of pregnant women, mothers, newborns and young children.   To address child mortality, Canada will work to increase access to the high-impact, cost-effective interventions that address the leading killers of children under the age of five. 
 
Drawing on Canadians’ expertise and knowledge in maternal and child health, Canada will bring together Canadian partners, experts and practitioners to build and share the latest knowledge in the field to ensure that Canadian programming delivers tangible results.  Accountability for results will be an integral part of Canada’s contribution to the maternal, newborn and child health initiative.  We will design a rigorous accountability framework to measure our progress, track results and ensure that Canadians’ aid dollars are used effectively to contribute to a sustainable reduction in maternal and child mortality.