Preventing Preterm Births, Neonatal Mortality Must Be Priority For Next U.N. Secretary General

The Lancet: The unfinished agenda of preterm births
Editorial Board

“…Preventing preterm births and caring for preterm infants well to avert mortality and minimize long-term morbidity is now one of the most urgent goals to make further progress in delivering the Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing mortality of children younger than five years. … Deaths from preterm birth complications became the leading cause of under-five mortality in 2015. … What is most needed at a global level is the reassurance of the continuing U.N. commitment to the Every Woman, Every Child agenda and the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030). Only with this broad lifecourse approach firmly rooted in human rights and equity, continuing and accelerated efforts by the many partners already involved, and firm financial support will we tackle the unfinished agenda of preterm births and neonatal mortality. The next U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, must make this one of his top priorities” (11/12).

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