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Towards eliminating preventable deathsUnited StatesDelivering results for global healthIn the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, our nations recognized the inherent dignity and rightsof every individual. This includes our health and well-being, and that of our families, especially ourchildren. Over the past half century, we’ve achieved great progress – eradicating smallpox, expandinghealth care around the world, increasing access to clean water, and reducing new cases of HIV/AIDS,malaria and tuberculosis. Millions of lives have been saved, and we’ve seen a remarkable drop inchildhood deaths.Yet as this report of the Global Campaign for the Health Millennium Development Goals makes clear,progress has not come as quickly in other areas. Every year, hundreds of thousands of mothers still diein child birth. Millions of children still diefrom malnutrition. Nearly a billion peoplestill suffer from chronic hunger. In theirname, we simply must do better.For the United States, development andglobal health will continue to be astrategic, economic and moral imperative.That is why, as President, I’ve committedthe United States to a new approach todevelopment and global health. We areguided by science and evidence of whichinterventions save lives and have the greatest impact. We are partnering with countries that stepup and take the lead. We are forging new collaborations that harness the unique capabilities ofinternational institutions, governments, academia, NGOs and the private sector. Most of all, we’refocused on results – not simply treating diseases, but helping people lead healthier lives.In partnership with others, our Global Health Initiative is helping countries strengthen their publichealth systems to deliver better care to mothers and children. Our Feed the Future initiative isreaching more than 10 million children and reducing malnutrition, while our malaria programmes areproviding effective prevention measures to over 58 million people. Through Saving Mothers, GivingLives, we’re focused on improving care during the most critical moments of childbirth, and with theChild Survival Call to Action we have set a global goal to eliminate preventable child deaths. Focusedon the new goals I announced last year, we are also moving closer to eliminating all new HIVinfections among children and the possibility of an AIDS-free generation.None of this will be easy, and none of us can do this alone. Meeting our Millennium Development Goalsand accelerating progress beyond 2015 will require serious and sustained commitment. It will alsodemand collaboration that reflects our shared responsibility – most importantly by nations on the frontlines of this fight.For the United States, development and global health will continue to be a strategic, economic andmoral imperative. In the 21st century, no child in the world deserves to die from a preventable disease.No mother deserves to die simply from giving birth. No person deserves to die from hunger. These arethe lives – the millions of lives – that we can save. Our conscience and our national interests compel usto act and, so long as I am President, the United States will continue to be a leader in this global effort.Barack ObamaPresident of the United States8Accelerating progress in saving the lives of Women and ChildrenTo Contents