Latest news with #AliceKang'ethe
Business Insider
10-05-2025
- Health
- Business Insider
10 African countries set to benefit from $500 million maternal health fund
The Beginnings Fund, an initiative of a coalition of global philanthropic partners, announced the financial support in a bid to improve survival rates for mothers and infants across ten African countries over the next five years. According to CEO of the Beginnings Fund, Alice Kang'ethe, priority countries include Zimbabwe, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Lesotho, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Nigeria. She added that about 90% of the funding has already been secured, with discussions ongoing to finalize partnership frameworks with each country. Notably, Africa shoulders the highest impact of child-birth related mortality worldwide, with a record of 178,000 maternal deaths and over a million newborn deaths annually. The continent bears a staggering toll of nearly 1 million stillbirths annually and 70% of global maternal deaths, many preventable. Experts warn that without accelerated and targeted interventions, countries like Nigeria and Ghana risk falling short of the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Goals for maternal and child health. However, timely action could still pave the way for progress. The Philanthropists backing the fund The Beginnings Fund, backed by global philanthropists including the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Gates Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, and ELMA Foundation, hinted that it has secured an additional $100 million for direct investments to accelerate its objectives. The Fund seeks to strengthen health systems and address resource shortages in Nigeria, where maternal mortality reaches 512 deaths per 100,000 live births. Similarly, in Ghana, which has reduced maternal mortality by nearly half since 2000, the Fund will target regional inequalities, as recent reports highlight persistent disparities in healthcare access. "We aim to strengthen, not substitute, existing systems," Kang'ethe emphasized. "Sustainability is a core principle, evident in our efforts to help governments assume the costs of expanded health services and workforce investments.
Time of India
29-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Gates, others launch $500 million maternal, newborn health fund, bucking aid cuts trend
London: A group of philanthropies including the Gates Foundation has set up a fund backed with nearly $500 million to help save the lives of newborn babies and mothers in sub-Saharan Africa, standing out against a bleak global health funding landscape. The Beginnings Fund was launched on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the home of another key backer - the United Arab Emirates' recently established Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity. The project has been in the works for at least a year. But its role has become more important as governments worldwide follow the U.S. in pulling back from international aid, its chief executive Alice Kang'ethe told Reuters in an interview. "It is an opportune moment," she said earlier this month, stressing that the fund aimed to work alongside African governments, experts and organizations rather than parachuting in experts or technologies, an approach she said differed from many traditional donor programmes. "Two generations ago... women in the UAE used to die during childbirth. More than half of children did not survive past childhood," said Tala Al Ramahi at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation, saying the lessons learned in what worked to change those outcomes would help inform the effort. The Beginnings Fund aims to save the lives of 300,000 mothers and newborn babies by 2030, and expand quality care for 34 million mothers and babies. The partners also pledged $100 million in direct investments in maternal and child health, separate to the fund. It plans to operate in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, focusing on low-cost interventions and personnel in high-burden hospitals. The work will track and target the key reasons babies and mothers die, including infection, severe bleeding for mothers, and respiratory distress for infants. The world has made major progress in reducing newborn and maternal deaths, halving the neonatal mortality rate between 1990 and 2022. But that progress has stagnated or even reversed in nearly all regions in the last few years, according to the World Health Organization, which has warned that aid cuts could make this worse. "Mothers and newborns should not be dying from causes we know how to prevent," said Dr. Mekdes Daba, minister of health for Ethiopia, stressing that the majority of deaths are avoidable. Kang'ethe said the Beginnings Fund, like other philanthropies, was getting calls to fill gaps in global aid funding, but remained focused on its long-term aim of changing the trajectory of mother and newborn survival. The fund is also backed by the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Delta Philanthropies and the ELMA Foundation, among others. It will be led from Nairobi, Kenya.
Arab News
29-04-2025
- Health
- Arab News
UAE and Gates Foundation launch $500m maternal health fund for Africa
LONDON: A group of philanthropies including the Gates Foundation has set up a fund backed with nearly $500 million to help save the lives of newborn babies and mothers in sub-Saharan Africa, standing out against a bleak global health funding landscape. The Beginnings Fund was launched on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the home of another key backer — the United Arab Emirates' recently established Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity. The project has been in the works for at least a year. But its role has become more important as governments worldwide follow the US in pulling back from international aid, its chief executive Alice Kang'ethe told Reuters in an interview. 'It is an opportune moment,' she said earlier this month, stressing that the fund aimed to work alongside African governments, experts and organizations rather than parachuting in experts or technologies, an approach she said differed from many traditional donor programs. 'Two generations ago... women in the UAE used to die during childbirth. More than half of children did not survive past childhood,' said Tala Al Ramahi at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation, saying the lessons learned in what worked to change those outcomes would help inform the effort. The Beginnings Fund aims to save the lives of 300,000 mothers and newborn babies by 2030, and expand quality care for 34 million mothers and babies. The partners also pledged $100 million in direct investments in maternal and child health, separate to the fund. It plans to operate in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, focusing on low-cost interventions and personnel in high-burden hospitals. The work will track and target the key reasons babies and mothers die, including infection, severe bleeding for mothers, and respiratory distress for infants. The world has made major progress in reducing newborn and maternal deaths, halving the neonatal mortality rate between 1990 and 2022. But that progress has stagnated or even reversed in nearly all regions in the last few years, according to the World Health Organization, which has warned that aid cuts could make this worse. 'Mothers and newborns should not be dying from causes we know how to prevent,' said Dr. Mekdes Daba, minister of health for Ethiopia, stressing that the majority of deaths are avoidable. Kang'ethe said the Beginnings Fund, like other philanthropies, was getting calls to fill gaps in global aid funding, but remained focused on its long-term aim of changing the trajectory of mother and newborn survival. The fund is also backed by the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Delta Philanthropies and the ELMA Foundation, among others. It will be led from Nairobi, Kenya.
TimesLIVE
29-04-2025
- Health
- TimesLIVE
$500m maternal, newborn health fund launched for sub-Saharan Africa
A group of philanthropies including the Gates Foundation has set up a fund backed with nearly $500m (R9.26bn) to help save the lives of newborn babies and mothers in sub-Saharan Africa, standing out against a bleak global health funding landscape. The Beginnings Fund was launched on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, the home of another key backer — the UAE's recently established Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity. The project has been in the works for at least a year, but its role has become more important as governments worldwide follow the US in pulling back from international aid, CEO Alice Kang'ethe told Reuters in an interview. 'It is an opportune moment,' she said earlier this month, stressing the fund aimed to work with African governments, experts and organisations rather than parachuting in experts or technologies, an approach she said differed from many traditional donor programmes. 'Two generations ago women in the UAE used to die during childbirth. More than half of children did not survive past childhood,' said Tala Al Ramahi at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation, adding the lessons learnt in what worked to change those outcomes would help inform the effort. The Beginnings Fund aims to save the lives of 300,000 mothers and newborn babies by 2030 and expand quality care for 34-million mothers and babies.
Malay Mail
29-04-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Gates, others launch US$500m maternal, newborn health fund, bucking aid cuts trend
LONDON, April 29 — A group of philanthropies including the Gates Foundation has set up a fund backed with nearly US$500 million (RM2.2 billion) to help save the lives of newborn babies and mothers in sub-Saharan Africa, standing out against a bleak global health funding landscape. The Beginnings Fund was launched today in Abu Dhabi, the home of another key backer - the United Arab Emirates' recently established Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity. The project has been in the works for at least a year. But its role has become more important as governments worldwide follow the US in pulling back from international aid, its chief executive Alice Kang'ethe told Reuters in an interview. 'It is an opportune moment,' she said earlier this month, stressing that the fund aimed to work alongside African governments, experts and organisations rather than parachuting in experts or technologies, an approach she said differed from many traditional donor programmes. 'Two generations ago... women in the UAE used to die during childbirth. More than half of children did not survive past childhood,' said Tala Al Ramahi at the Mohamed Bin Fayed Foundation, saying the lessons learned in what worked to change those outcomes would help inform the effort. The Beginnings Fund aims to save the lives of 300,000 mothers and newborn babies by 2030, and expand quality care for 34 million mothers and babies. The partners also pledged US$100 million in direct investments in maternal and child health, separate to the fund. It plans to operate in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, focusing on low-cost interventions and personnel in high-burden hospitals. The work will track and target the key reasons babies and mothers die, including infection, severe bleeding for mothers, and respiratory distress for infants. The world has made major progress in reducing newborn and maternal deaths, halving the neonatal mortality rate between 1990 and 2022. But that progress has stagnated or even reversed in nearly all regions in the last few years, according to the World Health Organisation, which has warned that aid cuts could make this worse. 'Mothers and newborns should not be dying from causes we know how to prevent,' said Dr. Mekdes Daba, minister of health for Ethiopia, stressing that the majority of deaths are avoidable. Kang'ethe said the Beginnings Fund, like other philanthropies, was getting calls to fill gaps in global aid funding, but remained focused on its long-term aim of changing the trajectory of mother and newborn survival. The fund is also backed by the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Delta Philanthropies and the ELMA Foundation, among others. It will be led from Nairobi, Kenya. — Reuters
