UNifeed: UN / MATERNAL MORTALITY ADVANCER

UN / MATERNAL MORTALITY ADVANCER

Ahead of a high-level event Wednesday (23 September) on maternal health led by UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says it is "just unacceptable" that in the 21st century, a woman still dies every minute from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. UNTV / UNICEF / FILE

Duration:03:57Date:22 September 2009

Categories:

United Nations Television, United Nations Mission in Sudan, United Nations Children's Fund, United Nations Population Fund, COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH SERVICES

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Full Script

STORY: UN / MATERNAL MORTALITY
TRT: 3.57
SOURCE: UNTV / UNICEF / UNFPA / UNMIS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 25 & 28 AUGUST 2009, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – UNICEF – 16 NOVEMBER 2008, BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN

1. Various shots, woman in labor

FILE – UNFPA – OCTOBER – NOVEMBER 2008, PALMA ROJA, ECUADOR

2. Various shots, midwives with pregnant woman

FILE – UNFPA – NOVEMBER 2007, BOLIVIA

3. Various shots, woman giving birth

FILE – UNICEF – 4 APRIL 2008, NIAMEY, GARIN GAJA, MARADI, NIGER

4. Various shots, women and children waiting at health clinic
5. Close up, child clinging to mother's back

25 AUGUST 2009, NEW YORK CITY

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“The cause of maternal health has been one of my top priorities of public global health as Secretary-General of the United Nations. Unfortunately, this is the slowest-moving target on the millennium development goals.”

FILE – UNICEF – 30-31 AUGUST 2007, KWALE DISTRICT, KENYA
 
7. Wide shot, woman washing clothes in courtyard; child running past camera
8. Tilt down, nets to maternity ward

FILE – UNICEF – 2008, PANJHIR, BALKH, MAZAR E SHARIF, KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN

9. Med shot, mother in hospital with newborn
10. Med shot, maternity ward
11. Various shots, newborns

FILE – UNICEF – 4 JUNE 2009, SHEIKH YASIN CAMP, MARDAN, NORTH-WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE, PAKISTAN

12. Med shot, woman on street

FILE – UNICEF – SEPTEMBER 2008, CITE SOLEIL, HAITI

13. Med shot, woman holding newborn in courtyard

25 AUGUST 2009, NEW YORK CITY

14. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“When the women were delivering babies at that time, I was told, and I have seen, that they would look at their shoes again and again, whether they would really be able to wear their shoes again after delivering baby – that much the rate of maternal death were great, very high. Even at this time, a woman dies every minute in the course of pregnancy and delivering baby. This is just unacceptable situation in 21st century. We must stop this situation.”

FILE – UNICEF – RECENT, GUNA DISTRICT, INDIA

15. Med shot, woman in hospital being examined by doctor
16. Close up, woman's face
17. Close up, doctor listening to the belly of pregnant woman

FILE – UNICEF – 16 NOVEMBER 2008, BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN

18. Med shot, pregnant patient revealing her stomach for doctor

FILE – UNICEF – 1 APRIL 2008, KOLDA, SENEGAL

19. Wide shot, Community Health Center with patients waiting outside in front
20. Med shot, mother breastfeeding young child inside health center
21. Close up, baby girl propped over mother's shoulder

UNICEF – 28 AUGUST 2009, NEW YORK CITY

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Mickey Chopra, Chief of Health, UNICEF:
“Maternal health and the MDG for maternal mortality has lagged far behind the other millennium development goals mostly because the investment in maternal health in terms of delivery, in terms of safe pregnancy have not been made sufficiently.”

FILE – UNMIS – APRIL 8 - 9 2009, TORIT, JUBA/ SUDAN

23. Med shot, ambulance driver helping pregnant woman leave her hut
24. Med shot, ambulance driver helping pregnant woman into motorcycle ambulance
25. Med shot, motorcycle ambulance entering hospital
26. Med shot, nurse helping pregnant woman get down from ambulance

FILE – UNICEF – RECENT, GUNA DISTRICT, INDIA

27. Med shot, maternity ward for newborn babies
28. Close up, doctor inspecting newborn
29. Med shot, nurses taking care of babies
30. Med shot, babies sleeping in hospital beds

25 AUGUST 2009, NEW YORK CITY

31. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“I have myself daughters and a grand-daughter. Women are the weavers of fabric of society. In poor countries, they are often the caretakers and breadwinners, and even peacemakers. Therefore, we must do all possible to promote and protect their maternal health.”

FILE – UNICEF – 16 NOVEMBER 2008, BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN

32. Close up, nurse measuring newborn 
33. Med shot, newborn on table being measured
34. Med shot, mother turning to look at her new son

STORYLINE:

Pregnancy and childbirth are usually times of joy for parents and families. But in many countries and communities, they are also periods of great risk to the health and survival of women and newborns.

According to UNICEF, around 1,500 women die every day from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Not much has changed since world leaders vowed to reduce the rate of maternal mortality by three quarters, as one of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with a deadline of 2015.
 
Ninety-nine percent of maternal deaths occur in poor countries. The latest UN progress report on the MDGs concludes that giving birth safely is still a “privilege of the rich”: In sub-Saharan Africa, almost five percent of women will die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth during their lifetime.

In a recent interview with UNifeed, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon therefore named maternal health as one of his “top priorities”.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“The cause of maternal health has been one of my top priorities of public global health as Secretary-General of the United Nations. Unfortunately, this is the slowest-moving target on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).”

The 2009 MDG progress report says half of all maternal deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, and another third in southern Asia.

Both regions have high rates of early marriage and teen pregnancy. Teenagers are far more likely to die in childbirth than women in their twenties.

And displacement due to conflict or natural disaster can make it even more difficult to get adequate care in countries that are already poor.

Recalling less affluent days in his own home country of South Korea, Ban Ki-moon spoke about what giving birth was like for his mother’s generation – and expressed frustration that so little has changed. 
 
SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“When the women were delivering babies at that time, I was told, and I have seen, that they would look at their shoes again and again, whether they would really be able to wear their shoes again after delivering baby – that much the rate of maternal death were great, very high. Even at this time, a woman dies every minute in the course of pregnancy and delivering baby. This is just unacceptable situation in 21st century. We must stop this situation.”

Ban says tackling the problem is mainly a question of political will. Women and girls should have access to a functioning healthcare system “24/7”.

Most maternal deaths are a result of unsafe abortions or complications during delivery, like hemorrhage, infections, or obstructed labor. Such conditions are often preventable. But in poor countries, fewer than half of pregnant women have access to adequate prenatal care.

SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Mickey Chopra, Chief of Health, UNICEF:
“Maternal health and the MDG for maternal mortality has lagged far behind the other millennium development goals mostly because the investment in maternal health in terms of delivery, in terms of safe pregnancy have not been made sufficiently.”

Despite some progress over the last 15 years on the availability of doctors, nurses or midwives to attend deliveries, more than half of all births in southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa still take place without the assistance of trained personnel.

And not just the mothers are at risk of dying. According to UNICEF, almost 40 percent of under-five deaths take place during the first month of life, with the greatest risk by far during the first day after birth. So good post-natal care can make a big difference.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“I have myself daughters and a grand-daughter. Women are the weavers of fabric of society. In poor countries, they are often the caretakers and breadwinners, and even peacemakers. Therefore, we must do all possible to promote and protect their maternal health.”

On Wednesday (23 September), the Secretary-General will join Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom at a high-level event where they will urge governments to honor their commitments on the MDG on maternal health, and help mothers give life and survive.

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