SA is unlikely to meet the [b]Millennium Development Goals[/b] to reduce maternal and child deaths by the MDG’s September deadline (see [s]MedicalBrief – 19[/s]), according to data from the latest [b]District Health Barometer[/b]. According to [s]Health-e[/s], the [b]Health Systems Trust[/b] reports that about 600 new or expecting mothers lose their lives annually. And almost 6% of all children died before the age of five years, largely due to AIDS-related illnesses, diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malnutrition. The report says the next set of international targets remain contested but according to [b]SA[/b] Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, maternal and child health must remain on the world’s agenda. He is quoted as saying: ‘When the post 2014 agenda was being discussed… I heard some saying that out of the MDGs, three were health-related and that it was time to move on. I got very scared when I heard this.’
[link url=http://www.health-e.org.za/2014/07/01/motsoaledi-sounds-post-mdg-agenda]Full Health-e report[/link]
[link url=http://www.hst.org.za/district-health-barometer-dhb-2]District Health Barometer[/link]
[link url=http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/report-2013/mdg-report-2013-english.pdf]Millennium Development Goals[/link]