Latest news with #TalaAlRamahi
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
Straits Times
29-04-2025
- Health
- Straits Times
Gates Foundation, others launch $650m maternal, newborn health fund, bucking aid cuts trend
The Beginnings Fund aims to save the lives of 300,000 mothers and newborn babies by 2030. PHOTO: REUTERS LONDON – A group of philanthropies, including the Gates Foundation, has set up a fund backed with nearly US$500 million (S$650 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 April 29 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 United States 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 in April, 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 Ms 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. Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has donated roughly US$100 billion to charitable causes through his and his ex-wife's foundation. PHOTO: REUTERS 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. Ms 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 Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
