FIGO Joining Forces to Achieve the Health-Related Millennium Development Goals

ROME, October 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

"FIGO, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics has a vision that women of the world achieve the highest possible standard of  physical, mental, and reproductive health and wellbeing throughout their lives. Our mission is dedicated to the improvement of women's and newborns health and rights as well as to advancing the science and practice of obstetrics and gynecology." These words, by Professor Gamal Serour, President of  FIGO, inaugurated the opening press conference of the FIGO2012 World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics in Rome, Italy, today.

"We expect the FIGO2012 congress to be a rewarding scientific exchange in many aspects of women's health. We are sure it will also be an occasion to enhance the open dialogue between FIGO and various UN organizations and global NGOs on how we can all contribute to accelerating the progress on achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals", Professor Serour said.

In fact, the vision and mission of FIGO reflect the vital role health professional organizations have in the joint efforts to achieve specifically, but not only, MDG-4 "Reduce child mortality" and MDG-5 "Improve maternal health".   

Child deaths are falling, but much more needs to be done in order to reach the development goal: to reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under five years old mortality rate.

Since 1990, in the developing regions, the rate declined by 35 percent, from 97 deaths per 1,000 births to 63. But, children in the developing regions as a whole  are twice as likely to die before their fifth birthday as children in the richest 20 percent of households.

Maternal mortality has nearly halved since 1990. But levels are far removed from the 2015 target: reducing by three-fourths the maternal mortality ratio and achieve universal access to reproductive health. The regions with the highest maternal mortality, sub Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, are also those with the lowest coverage of births attended by skilled health personnel - less than half. Maternal health coverage has progressively increased in developing regions from 63 percent in 1990 to 80 percent in 2010.

"It is our professional responsibility, as physicians, to provide quality care across the life-cycle, and it is our responsibility, as leaders of global organizations, to join forces.  Rest assured that women will no longer be the silent victims and unheard voices of a substandard health care", Professor Serour concluded.