Rwanda is among the 10 countries set to benefit from a new fund aimed at preventing avoidable deaths by expanding access to quality care for mothers and babies in sub-Saharan Africa. Launched this week in Abu Dhabi, UAE by a coalition of global philanthropies in partnership with ministries of health of the countries involved, “the Beginnings Fund” will operate in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. ALSO READ: How Rwanda enhances mother, child health through community engagement It aims at pooling together resources and investing multi-year funding, with initial commitment from its founding philanthropies being to catalyse further funding from new donors, ensuring long-term sustainability. The establishment of the fund is part of a joint philanthropic commitment of nearly $600 million for maternal and new-born survival, including $100 million in direct funding for initiatives that further the Beginnings Fund’s mission. Among the organisations supporting the fund is the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, The ELMA Foundation, Gates Foundation, Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation, Patchwork Collective, and others. With a focus on sustainability and local ownership, the Beginnings Fund will work in partnership with African governments, national organisations, and experts to prevent over 300,000 deaths and enhance access to quality care for 34 million mothers and babies by 2030. Alice Kang'ethe, Chief Executive Officer of the fund, said African governments, with support from philanthropic and bilateral organisations, are at the forefront of advancing maternal and new-born health and making ground-breaking innovations. ALSO READ: Antenatal care key in addressing maternal, infant mortality - MoH She noted that the continent is making remarkable strides, “but achieving lasting change requires collaborative action.” Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs in the UAE, lauded the fund for giving more mothers and children the opportunity of “a healthy start.” “In the earliest days of the UAE, our nation faced high maternal and new-born mortality rates. This journey taught us the profound importance of quality healthcare that is available to all, at every stage of life, and this knowledge continues to guide us today,” he noted. The Beginnings Fund will focus on strengthening the workforce and equipping facilities with a bundle of low-cost, evidence-based interventions. It will aim at harnessing innovations, empowering a skilled workforce, and building strong data and referral systems. Newborn deaths in the first month of life are the single biggest driver of mortality in Sub Saharan Africa, where 70 percent of maternal deaths also occur. Most of these deaths are preventable with trained health workers providing essential care to mothers and babies. “Mothers and new-born babies should not be dying from causes we know how to prevent,” said Dr Mekdes Daba, Minister of Health for Ethiopia. “We all have a shared responsibility to build resilient and well-resourced health systems that can safeguard the life of every pregnant woman and new-born. With the right investments and innovations, countries around the world have succeeded in transforming maternal and new-born care. There is no reason that we cannot do the same,” she added. The Beginnings Fund aims to deploy $500 million in philanthropic funding by 2030, of which 90 percent has been raised.
