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EDUCATION AND DEBATE: Elizabeth Goodburn and Oona Campbell Reducing maternal mortality in the developing world: sector-wide approaches may be the key BMJ 2001; 322: 917-920 [Full text]

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Innefficiency in distributing resources

Julian Lopez   (15 April 2001)

Don't forget the baby

Neena Modi   (3 May 2001)

SWAP funding in India

Jean-Patrick DuConge   (14 May 2001)

Innefficiency in distributing resources 15 April 2001
Julian Lopez Office practice (ex chief of obstetrics) Send response to journal: Re: Innefficiency in distributing resources	The principal problem with maternal mortality in poor countries is not the lack of money, but society's inefficiency in planning, our incapacity to make changes happen. Large amounts of money and resources can be made available, but they won´t go to the people who need them because mostly the goverment is worried about different things other than the health of the population. They try to seem worried than be worried. The real help will be changing our way of thinking, and that, nobody but us can do. While a change in the priorities of the governments, doesn´t hapen, any program of outside help, will benefit only a group of people that will enrich themselves with the money sent. I´m forced to be optimistic, but the principal problem in our countries is educational; if we don't raise the educational level of our population, no lasting change will happen. It´s an endemic problem that affects all areas of development. Julian López.
Don't forget the baby 3 May 2001
Neena Modi, Consultant Senior Lecturer Hammersmith Hospital Send response to journal: Re: Don't forget the baby	Dear Editor, I was saddened that Goodburn and Campbell’s 1 otherwise admirable discussion on maternal health in the developing world failed to mention the product of successful safe childbirth, the baby, even once. The continuing reluctance of those principally concerned with maternal care to recognise that a healthy baby is an essential component of maternal health and wellbeing is disheartening. Phrases liberally used by these authors such as “all essential components of a health service”, “sector wide approaches” and “sustainable improvements” would ring hollow to women whose babies are dead or damaged. Care of the newborn must be viewed as an integral component of any Safe Motherhood Programme. Yours faithfully, Dr Neena Modi MB ChB MD FRCP FRCPCH Senior Lecturer/Consultant in Neonatal Paediatrics, Imperial College School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN email n.modi@ic.ac.uk 1 Goodburn E, Campbell O. Reducing maternal mortality in the developing world: sector-wide approaches may be the key. BMJ 2001 322:917- 920 Competing interests: practising neonatal paediatrician
SWAP funding in India 14 May 2001
Jean-Patrick DuConge, Programme Medical Adviser New Delhi Send response to journal: Re: SWAP funding in India	FYI, the European Commission is also funding a Euro 200 million SWAP in India. For basic information, check our website: www.echfwp.com.