In the Gates Foundation’s annual Goalkeepers Report, Bill Gates focuses on the progress and shortcomings related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, specifically concerning preventable child deaths and maternal mortality rates. Gates emphasizes that despite advancements in many areas, the oldest public health problem—maternal and child survival—remains urgent.
Every two minutes, a mother dies from childbirth complications, and millions of babies and young children die annually. In some places, including the U.S., maternal mortality rates have even increased.
However, Gates also points out that these issues are becoming increasingly solvable. Research over the past decade has provided new insights into the health of mothers and babies, such as the diseases most responsible for child deaths and other factors affecting maternal and child health.
These insights are leading to innovative practices capable of saving nearly 1,000 mothers and babies each day through the end of the decade, amounting to two million lives.
Gates calls for the implementation of these practices to keep pace with what has been learned, particularly in communities where the need is most acute. He urges people to read the report, emphasizing that the takeaway should be one of hope due to the rapid advancements and massive potential for saving lives.
