Better maternal care in Africa can save women from suffering in childbirth

Every year just over 500 000 women die from complications in pregnancy and childbirth across the world. Another 20 million experience severe complications. But many of these complications are entirely avoidable – including obstructed

A novel global scoring system shows Africa falling behind on health goals

In September 2015 the United Nations General Assembly set the global development agenda for the next 15 years. The adoption of the new sustainable development goals included a range of targets to

New development goals on health need more work to be realistic

The next chapter of the global development agenda – the sustainable development goals – will shift the global focus and debate around health systems. As the follow up to the

The next frontiers in maternal and child health post the millennium goals

With another deadline around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) reached, there is a renewed debate on how effectively they have helped shape the agenda and the strategies to improve health,

Why too many mothers are still dying at childbirth in West Africa

Maternal mortality rates in West Africa are among the highest in the world. One in every 30 Nigerian mothers dies in childbirth compared with one in every 30,000 in Sweden. This

How the Millennium Development Goals failed the world’s poorest children

UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, has warned that despite rapid progress in reductions of poverty and deprivation among children worldwide, disparities are still growing. The most marginalized children in some