Opinion pieces address Canada’s work to prevent maternal and child deaths, including the upcoming Saving Every Woman Every Child summit.

National Post: Saving women and children in Tanzania, and around the world
Laurie Hawn, member of parliament for Edmonton Centre, and Hermengild Mayunga, a senior consultant for the Tanzania Parliamentary Committee Against Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases

“Globally, 6.6 million children die each year from preventable and curable diseases, such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and measles, and 287,000 mothers die during pregnancy and delivery. It is possible to prevent most of these deaths through cost-effective solutions, such as national immunization and child-health programs, which is why Canada has chosen to send a clear message to the world: We are not giving up on saving the lives of mothers and children. … As world leaders gather in Toronto later this month, we ask for continued support for life-saving health initiatives, from Canada and our G8 partners…” (5/22).

Ottawa Citizen: Canada must continue to lead on maternal health
Dorothy Shaw, chair of the Canadian Network for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (CAN-MNCH) and vice president of medical affairs at BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre

“…Summit participants are meeting at a pivotal moment in the history of maternal, newborn and child health. Tremendous progress has been realized over the past few years, but the landmark Muskoka Initiative that catalyzed this momentum is now entering its fifth and last year. … Over the coming days, we will be hearing a lot about the hope for the future and the progress that we have achieved to help the world’s mothers and their children. Canadian ingenuity and perseverance is leading this effort. We are in the final push to end preventable deaths within a generation” (5/26).