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Advancing global health under the G8 Italian presidency

Government representatives, development and health experts held a one-day international conference to discuss the upcoming G8 meeting – scheduled in Italy on 9-10 July 2009 – and undertake a critical analysis of progress and challenges in development assistance.

The conference aimed to look at Italy’s G8 leadership readiness on international commitments on aid effectiveness and financing for development. More specifically it focused on advancing the three Millennium Development Goals (MDG) on health: 4, Reduce child mortality; 5, Improve maternal health; and 6, Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. Participants hoped the conference would encourage Italy to maintain its commitments to Overseas Development Assistance (ODA), especially in times of financial crisis.

The conference was sponsored by Action for Global Health, in collaboration with GCAP Italy (Global Call to Action against Poverty) and the Italian Network against AIDS, and organized by the Italian NGOs AIDOS and Cestas.

Presentations and discussions included the issue of humanitarian response, which must be incorporated into development plans if countries in crisis and post-conflict are to meet their MDG commitments.

“Budgetary support that is explicit to reproductive health must be secured from governments for increased budgetary allocations,” said Laila Baker, Humanitarian Affairs Specialist in UNFPA’s Geneva Office. She added that it is essential to maintain reproductive health on the policy agenda as well, not only for maternal health but in a comprehensive holistic way that addresses HIV, older people, adolescents and those in crisis. Equally important is the integration of explicit reproductive health programmes that would allow for universal access to it in less developed countries.