Huffington Post: Five Big Questions for the Future of Global Family Planning
Pape Amadou Gaye, president and CEO of IntraHealth International

“…It’s no coincidence that as global use of modern contraceptives rose from 55 percent in 1990 to 63 percent in 2010, global maternal mortality fell by a staggering 45 percent. … Some regions — particularly West Africa, where maternal death rates are among the world’s highest and contraceptive use among the lowest — are missing out on this progress. … So before we reach the Shangri-La of universal health coverage and family planning services for all, we have some questions to answer. 1. Who still can’t get contraception? … 2. How can West Africa catch up? … 3. What do health systems have to do with it? … 4. Who will disrupt the status quo? … 5. When will we get there? … To achieve real results, we need to reach out for new ideas and focus on what works. We need better national leadership and investment. We need to put future planning on the international development agenda. We need to tap into the great potential of status quo disruptors, and let them lead the way…” (7/8).