WASHINGTON, DC – U.S.  Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) joined U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introducing the Reach Every Mother and Child Act to strengthen efforts to end preventable deaths of mothers, newborns, and young children in developing nations around the world. 

Maternal health and child health are inextricably linked. Every day, approximately 800 women, almost entirely from developing countries, die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. The risk of a woman dying in childbirth is nearly 33 times higher in a developing country compared to a woman living in a developed country – highlighting the significant health disparities between wealthy and low resource settings. In addition, more than 16,000 children under five years old will die each day of treatable conditions.

“The hundreds of women and children who die every day from preventable causes are a black mark on our global conscience. A comprehensive strategy is needed to address all barriers that limit access to quality maternal and child health services,” Blumenthal said. “I’m proud to join with a bipartisan group of my colleagues to champion this important legislation and commit to finally ending preventable maternal and child deaths worldwide.” 

“Every two minutes, a girl or woman dies from pregnancy-related complications. These deaths are entirely preventable, and the United States has the resources and know-how to help stop them,” said Murphy. “This bill will save lives.” 

The United States has been a global leader in reaching mothers and children in developing countries with life-saving interventions, including skill birth attendants, basic resuscitation options for newborns, vaccinations, and other cost-effective, evidence-based interventions.

The Reach Act has been endorsed by CARE International, PATH, RESULTS, Save the Children Action Network, and WorldVision. The bill would provide the focus and tools necessary to accelerate progress toward ending preventable maternal and child deaths by: 

  • Establishing the goal of ending preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths by 2030;
  • Requiring the Administration to implement a strategy to achieve this goal by scaling up the most-effective evidence-based interventions;
  • Permitting USAID greater flexibility to use “pay-for-success” financing models where foreign aid is only expended for results rather than inputs, and
  • Establishing a permanent Maternal and Child Survival Coordinator at USAID who would be focused on implementing the strategy and verify that the most effective interventions are scaled up in target countries.

The legislation is also co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL).

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