Current situation on development agenda after 2015—Update as of Sept 2013— / 国際保健医療

Review of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and discussions on the development agenda after 2015 (post MDGs) have begun. It would be high time to try to integrate and/or merge environment issues into the development, since Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new concept proposed in Rio+20, was brought into the scene of discussion on development agenda through Open Working Group (OWG) discussion.<BR>Development and environment issues must be addressed simultaneously in an integrated manner at all levels toward “One Framework” of development. Sustainable development calls for a convergence of three pillars: economic development, social equity and environmental protection. There is a lot of common space between two issues.<BR>Unfinished agenda and gender were the two common issues raised by interviewees. They also pointed out some unique perspectives, such as selection of indicators at country level, and political declaration which could include the cross-cutting and politically sensitive issues.

Current situation on development agenda after 2015 / 国際保健医療

Review of MDGs and discussion on the development agenda after 2015 (post MDGs) have begun. The years of 2012-13 would be the critical time in review and negotiation process, since major issues are usually discussed during the preparatory stage. In-depth interviews for 14 experts were carried out in order to gather opinions on evaluating on-going MDGs as well as proposals on post MDGs in global health. A healthy, educated population is one of the most universally valued goals to achieve. Based on findings of interviews, fundamental concept of global health, equity, how to relate development to environment issues are raised as key points to be included in post MDGs by health and environment experts. It is strongly recommended to strengthen publicity on the post MDGs development agenda to policy-makers and general public in Japan. Academic circles have a role to play in this endeavor.

Salud materno-infantil en las Américas / Maternal-Child Health in the Americas

ANTECEDENTES: A nivel global, ocurren 136 millones de nacimientos, 10 millones de estos niños fallecerán antes de su primer año de vida. De la misma manera aproximadamente 500 mil madres morirán en el mismo período por causas asociadas al embarazo, parto y puerperio. El 99 por ciento de esta tragedia mundial ocurre en los países más pobres de la tierra. Más del 70 por ciento de las muertes maternas ocurren por cinco causas principales: hemorragias, infecciones, aborto, hipertensión y parto obstruido. Se ha observado un cambio en el perfil etiológico en aquellos países con experiencia mas favorables, como Cuba, Costa Rica, Uruguay y Chile, países en los cuales ha aumentado la proporción de las llamadas causas indirectas (no obstétricas) de mortalidad materna. La mortalidad infantil y la del menor de 5 años, ha disminuido en alrededor de un 50 por ciento en la región. CONCLUSIÓN: A pesar de las mejorías globales en la salud materno-infantil y aumento de la esperanza de vida en la región de América Latina, la inequidad permanece como problema crucial. Existe información publicada que muestra que los mejores indicadores en salud materna, del recién nacido y del niño ocurre en mujeres con mejor situación socio-económica, estas diferencias se observan dentro y entre los países de la región. En el contexto del logro de los Objetivos Materno Infantiles del Milenio (ODM 4 y 5), es crucial la diseminación de las experiencias de los países con indicadores más favorables de la región.

BACKGROUND: One hundred and thirty six millions of births occurred annually at global level. Ten millions of those children will die before their first birthday. Approximately five hundred thousand of mothers also will die in the same period, for causes associated to pregnancy, delivery or puerperium. 99 percent of all of this global tragedy occurs in the poorest countries of the world. More than 70 percent of maternal death occurred because five main causes: hemorrhage, infections, abortion, hypertension and obstructed labor. A change in the etiological profile was observed, increasing the proportion of "indirect" (no obstetrics) causes in the countries with indicators more favorable as Cuba, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Chile. The infant and under five mortality in the region have been decreased in around 50 percent between 1990 and 2005. CONCLUSION: Despite Latin America's overall declines in mortality and gains in life expectancy over the past few decades, inequity remains a leading health problem. Data from the region on maternal, newborn, infant, and child health show better outcomes among women with higher socioeconomic status in comparison with the poorest people within and also between the countries in the region. In the context of the global effort to attain Millennium Development Goals number 4 (reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate) and 5 (reduce by three-quarters, the maternal mortality ratio) and reduce health inequities, it is crucial to disseminate successful experiences in order that its achievements can be replicated elsewhere.

Strategic Planning of International Health Cooperation / 国際保健医療

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the worlds poorest. Japan, in line with MDGs, puts priority to the following three health related goals, "reduce child mortality", "improve maternal health", and "combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases. So called "vertical approach" is not an answer. Key to success is the establishment of the clear strategy which stress the importance of public health system development. Human resource from donor side, especially the role of health policy advisor to the Government of developing countries, is an essential factor led to success.