EngenderHealth at the Women Deliver Conference

London, October 18-20, 2007 — EngenderHealth is taking a leading role at Women Deliver, the first major conference focusing on the health of women, mothers, and newborn babies around the world. EngenderHealth will join hundreds of global health experts at the conference to examine issues such as the connection between women’s health, rights, education, and poverty reduction, and the need to invest more financial resources to safeguard women’s health. The conference marks the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Safe Motherhood initiative. 

One highlight at the conference will be EngenderHealth’s announcement of a new report and call to action, in partnership with the University of Oxford, at the Speaker’s Corner event on Friday, October 19. Reducing Eclampsia-Related Deaths—A Call to Action appeals to governments, international and local organizations, and public health advocates to increase access to magnesium sulfate, a safe and effective treatment for preeclampsia and eclampsia—leading causes of maternal deaths worldwide. Despite its endorsement by the World Health Organization, magnesium sulfate is still unavailable in many parts of the developing world, resulting in needless deaths.

Several EngenderHealth/ACQUIRE Project staff will be involved in two of the Six Must-See Panels at Women Deliver:

• Dr. Sa’ad Idris, a surgeon working with the ACQUIRE Project in Nigeria, will be presenting at Session 134: Obstetric Fistula: A Visible Reminder of Inequity in Maternal Health, and
   
• Dr. Gelila Kidane Goba, EngenderHealth’s Ethiopia Country Director, will be presenting at Session 139: Universal Access: Key to Eliminating HIV in Women, Infants, and Young Children, a panel moderated by Paul Perchal, Director of EngenderHealth’s HIV and STI program.

For more information about EngenderHealth’s activities at Women Deliver, contact Theresa Kim at tkim@engenderhealth.org.

For more information about the conference in general, visit the Women Deliver conference web site.