G8 revisits maternal and child deaths

摘要

After a decade of disappointing progress in the effort to cut maternal and newborn deaths, world leaders last week resolved to try again. So far, the focus has been on the modest scale of the commitment - US$5 billion over five years. But scientists say that existing research could help countries to make the best use of the money.rnEach year, some 342,900 mothers die of complications due to pregnancy and childbirth, and 3.6 million newborns die within their first month of life. Roughly half of the deaths are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to just 11 % of the world's population (see 'Why they die).