Canadian Expertise Saving the Lives of Mothers, Newborns and Children Around the World

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Vancouver, British Columbia — Today, the Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., Q.C., Minister of National Revenue, and Member of Parliament for Delta-Richmond East, on behalf of the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, announced the successful organizations based in British Columbia selected through the Partnerships for Strengthening Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PSMNCH) call for proposals. Minister Findlay made the announcement during an event in Vancouver co-hosted by the BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre and the BC Children’s Hospital.

Funding for the initiatives announced today is part of Canada’s $3.5-billion commitment to maternal, newborn and child health for the period 2015–2020 announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the Saving Every Woman, Every Child: Within Arm’s Reach global summit in Toronto in May 2014.

British Columbia–based organizations will be delivering initiatives aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality and improving women’s and children’s health in developing countries. These Canadian partners have a vast expertise in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH).

The successful Canadian organizations will work with developing-country partners and through local health systems to deliver initiatives that will help strengthen health systems, reduce the burden of disease, improve nutrition and ensure accountability for results.

Canada has been a global leader in improving the health of mothers, newborns and children around the world, and is achieving remarkable results.

In 2010, Canada pledged $2.85 billion to improve the health of mothers, newborns and children around the world. Canada pays what it pledges and has delivered on that commitment.

Quick Facts
— The PSMNCH call for proposals commits resources to Canadian partners that are more than five times as great as those of the previous call for proposals under the $82-million Muskoka Initiative Partnership Program. The total value of the selected projects under the PSMNCH call for proposals is more than $420 million over five years—an increase of more than $50 million from what was originally announced at the time of the launch.
— More than 28,000 health workers have been trained.
— Some 25,000 children have received life-saving vaccines.
— More than 13,000 bed nets have been distributed to protect families from malaria.
— More than 12,000 children have received two doses of vitamin A annually.
— Some 2,500 women have received iron and folic acid supplements annually.
— The PSMNCH call for proposals builds on the meaningful results of the 28 Muskoka Initiative Partnership Program projects implemented by Canadian partner organizations from 2011 to 2015. These results include the following: The PSMNCH call for proposals received 107 submissions from Canadian partners, up from 60 under the Muskoka Initiative Partnership Program.

Quotes
“I congratulate the successful organizations in British Columbia that will bring a wealth of expertise and innovative approaches to Canada’s efforts to save the lives of mothers, newborns and children in developing countries. Communities in the developing world will be stronger and more prosperous because of Canada’s leadership, which is saving the lives of mothers and children through better nutrition, immunization, health worker training, micronutrient supplements and more.”- The Honourable Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., Q.C., Minister of National Revenue, and Member of Parliament for Delta-Richmond East

“We cannot stand idly by while women and children in developing countries suffer deaths that are easily and inexpensively prevented. This is why Prime Minister Harper has taken a leadership role in addressing the health challenges faced by women, newborns and children in the world’s poorest countries. The Partnerships for Strengthening Maternal, Newborn and Child Health call for proposals is an opportunity to leverage Canadians’ expertise and innovation to work toward the goal of ending the preventable deaths of women and children within a generation.”
– The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie