A new fund aimed at improving the survival of mothers and newborns in Africa was launched Tuesday, backed by major philanthropic organizations including the Gates Foundation.
The Beginnings Fund, managed by an investments team based in Nairobi, plans to deploy $500 million over the next five years to help save more than 300,000 lives and provide quality care for 34 million women and newborns across sub-Saharan Africa
A recent report by the World Health Organization highlighted a 40% decline in maternal deaths globally between 2000 and 2023, with sub-Saharan Africa among those achieving significant progress. However, the region still accounted for 70% of maternal deaths globally as it continues to deal with high rates of poverty and conflict. This could be further exacerbated by recent cuts in humanitarian funding, which have forced some health facilities to close, led to the loss of health workers, and disrupted the supply of essential medicines and treatments for leading causes of maternal deaths, such as hemorrhage and preeclampsia.
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.
