Scale up innovative technologies and develop strategies to create demand for 13 health supplies: These are just some of the recommendations a U.N. working group finalized May 22.
The U.N. Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children aims to increase access to lifesaving medicine and health supplies. These include oxytocin, which helps stop bleeding among mothers after giving birth, and antibiotics such as amoxicillin, which treats pneumonia among newborns.
If properly distributed and used, these health supplies could save the lives of 2.5 million women and children by 2015, UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake said in a press release. He is also the commission’s vice chair.
The recommendations will be announced late 2012.
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About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.