Launches new cooperation to combat child mortality

“We are now launching a common plan for the fight against child mortality. This is a cooperation between the private sector and political leaders. The aim is to ensure efficiency in every step of the work to save childrens lives,” said Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg when addressing the worlds’ health ministers in Geneva.

The plan is launched by the Norwegian government, Chancellor Gordon Brown from the UK and the Gates Foundation. Allready, Tanzania, Indonesia and Mozambique have joined the cooperation.

- Fighting child mortality is a key development issue to me. More than ten million children die every year before they reach the age of five. The majority of these die from preventable diseases. That is unacceptable. The health ministers’ have a particular responsibility for ensuring that the measures taken in the fight against child mortality are effective and reach the children, said Stoltenberg.  

 
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg visits the child health clinic Puskemas in Tebet area in Jakarta. The Prime Minister watches while little Gladys receives her vaccine. Photo: Bjørn Sigurdsøn / SCANPIX

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was a specially invited guest speaker to the WHO meeting for health ministers from 193 countries. Among the most important topics of his speech were the fight against child mortality and the need to improve health care during birth and for the new born. 

” The worlds’ health ministers have to give top priority to health care for children in order to fight child mortality,” said Jens Stoltenberg.