Custom essays on Is more funding a right strategy how to make a positive difference and save the lives of mothers and children in the developing countries?

The International Parenthood Federation regards family planning as a comprehensive approach that saves lives of children and their mothers. It includes information and medical supplies that give women an opportunity to decide if they want a child or not, they should be provided with all necessary to make informed balanced decisions (Haddad). According to the statement of Dr. Greer, Director General of the International Parenthood Federation, “the evidence is indisputable: family planning saves lives. Too many women and girls die in pregnancy and childbirth because they had no access to good health services including family planning. Family planning is crucial to achieving better maternal and child health” (Greer). Therefore, family planning is a key to making progress in maternal, newborn and child health. The G8 initiative enjoyed the support of pro-abortion organizations including some of the most famous the UN Population Fund and Planned Parenthood. The recent research gives evidence that there is no substantial information to back the claim that abortion improves maternal health (Dunn & McKeegan).
Harper’s plan is rather controversial and though aimed at saving women and children in developing countries, Robert Fox metaphorically calls the commitments a painfully small piece in an increasingly small pie. The efforts are not in vain however, the results are already evident in a great number of least developed and developing countries. CIDA provides thorough analysis of the results of maternal, newborn and child health care improvement all over Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Haiti, Mali, Honduras, Tanzania, Burma, Bolivia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Sudan and Zambia. CIDA shows that its initiative does not only support different developing countries, its projects also work globally to address the needs of the poor in partnership with different multinational organizations. The organization also supports the regional projects that address the specific regional challenges, the Initiative to Save a Million Lives for instance.
Working out the effective policies on maternal and child health is a remarkably complicated business and it requires bringing it in accordance with human rights tackling such barriers to economic growth as discrimination and inequality. The G20 should consider the plan that meets the requirements of the Millennium Development Goals and gives solutions to coping with corruption, lack of educational opportunity etc that are obstacles to achieving them. The draft joint plan of coordinated actions on a global scale that is strong on the human rights dimensions would ensure the success. For the plan improvement the cooperation of donors and urging countries avoiding duplication of interventions and single-disease approaches is of paramount importance (Songane).
Taking into consideration the drawbacks of the past and having accumulated a certain experience worldwide, maternal, newborn and child health should be integrated into national health plans. Despite the benefits the integrated approach brings, countries still do not always control the money and the system fails to work properly as the countries are highly dependent on each other. While they are pursuing their own interests, health care systems remain neglected and the leading cause of the lack of progress. In a perfect world, policymaker decisions are grounded on a balance of advocacy and sound evidence, however, in reality, randomized controlled trials are often not suited to the reality of service-delivery programs in developing countries. Therefore, more flexible approaches are required in the real world (Yeh & Brandes). In making an effective maternal health plan equally important to the provision of contraception, is the empowerment of women to be aware of their reproductive health peculiarities and their rights (Haddad). Women should understand their right to family planning and be financially, geographically and socio-culturally able to use it systematically. Moreover, higher health care expenditures should be supported “with re-distributive policies to reduce the gap in utilization of skilled birth attendants between poorer and richer women in developing countries” (Kruk & Prescott). However, at present equity in utilization of services between the rich and poor varies at similar health levels with women in the wealthier income group have a substantially higher rate of utilization of skilled birth attendants in comparison with the poorest income group of women (Kruk & Prescott). The scholars consider the best scenario to be the one that encompasses higher health care expenditures and equitable polices. In addition to the necessity in funding, that surely reduces maternal morality, it should be admitted that there is a definite correlation between high maternal morality and low numbers of skilled attendance at birth (Haddad). Consequently, merely financial support will scarcely help the regions and it resembles filling a bottomless vessel. What is essential is establishing strong redistributive policies and medical staff training to reach the poor (Kruk & Prescott).