Regardless of where we work, we are driven by one core mission: to end extreme poverty and advance the dignity of every human being. Yet, we come together tonight at a time when this mission—and our values—are being tested. Across the globe, millions of children—especially girls—are facing daunting threats.
Syria’s children continue to endure relentless dangers, from barrel bombs to extremist militias. India’s girls risk their lives every time they fetch water or visit latrines. And Nigeria’s children are finding school a target for terrorists rather than a sanctuary for learning. All it takes it one look around the world to see that our joint efforts and advocacy are more critical than ever.
(As prepared)
Habari zenu, Good morning,
Honorable Henry Rotich, Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury; Honorable Michael Kamau, Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure; Lucy Mbugua Managing Director of the Kenya Airports Authority; other distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honor to be with you.
(As prepared)
I am so pleased to be here to mark another milestone in our 50-year partnership with Kenya.
We are here today because we recognize that Kenya is in a position to benefit from the positive effects of a demographic change. The country is overflowing with young and ambitious Kenyans eager to contribute to the development of the country. If we can move them responsibly into their working age years as healthy, educated and productive adults, with fewer dependents, they can lead the development process and elevate Kenya to a middle-income country.
In Cambodia today, women are living longer, healthier lives than their mothers and their mothers before them. As the nation’s health system and economic opportunities continue to improve, Cambodian women have better access to higher-quality health services and products for themselves and their families. Giving birth is safer than it has ever been in Cambodia, for both mothers and their newborns. Contraceptives and other health commodities are more readily available and affordable. Deaths due to the most lethal diseases of the past – such as tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV – are declining each year.
It gives me the greatest honor and pleasure to be here today to pledge the U.S. Government’s support for the Government of Ethiopia’s unprecedented commitment to End Fistula and Transform Lives by 2020. We applaud the Federal Ministry of Health for its renewed focus on obstetric fistula and for taking the bold step of developing a Plan of Action to eliminate fistula by the year 2020.
More than 1 billion people - one-sixth of the world's population - suffer from one or more neglected tropical diseases, also known as NTDs. These diseases affect the world's most vulnerable populations - those who are poorest and have little or no means to protect themselves from illness. Their impact on individuals and communities is devastating. In addition to the over 500,000 people who die annually from the consequences of NTDs - millions suffer from chronic disability, pain, disfigurement, and social stigma that keeps them from living full, productive lives.
This is an incredibly exciting week for the global community- as we outline a new approach to working together to prevent maternal and child deaths and set ambitious goals that we hope to achieve in the years ahead.We’re thrilled that you are a part of it.
It is such an exciting time for this effort. Because for the first time in history, we stand within reach of a world that was simply once unimaginable—a world without child and maternal death.
Child Survival and maternal mortality have been a focus of the U.S. commitment to global health for decades. Every year, we commit nearly $1.5 billion to this moral mission. And today, we know that how we deploy those precious dollars has the potential to transform millions of communities that suffer from the senseless tragedy of losing children to preventable deaths.
After a very successful meeting in Mandalay at the end of March, we now have a critical mass of champions who are highly committed to moving the agenda on migrant health care further along, in whichever way we can, with whatever resources we can muster, the key operative word being partnership. Partnership between health, labor and social security, partnership between public and private sector, between government and civil society, and between the countries, to develop shared solutions to a common and complex health area. Also, partnership among development partners; we have a large group of external agencies who have come together to demonstrate our friendship and support for the cause. This meeting is a joint effort between IHPP Foundation, USAID, UNDP and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
While 92% of the Philippine population had access to an improved source of drinking water in 2010, 15.7 million Filipinos are still without access. This shortfall has serious impacts on economic growth, health and the overall development of the country. There are several reasons for inadequate water supply services, including low levels of investment; poverty linked to an inability to afford services; and policy, regulatory and financing barriers.
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Last updated: June 16, 2017
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