NOK 3 billion towards health projects in the 3rd World
Norway contributes NOK 3 billion to an international project to better the health offer for women and children in poor, developing countries.
Representatives from nearly 20 countries will meet in Oslo next week to attend a Funding Conference for the Global Financing Facility (GFF). The goal is to make contributions to increased investments in child and maternal health in poor countries. GFF assists the 50 countries in the world where there is the biggest need for financial support to National Health Services for women, children and adolescents.
The Norwegian contribution to the project is NOK 600 million annually until 2023, altogether amounting to NOK 3 billion.
– Lack of access to health services is one of the fundamental injustices in the world. Every year, more than five million mothers and children die throughout the world for reasons that could have been avoided. If we are to do something about this inequality, we must put health, education and equality of women at the heart of international development efforts, says Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg (Conservatives).
USD 2 billion
The goal of the project is to raise $ 2 billion over the five years, which will, in turn, trigger between $ 50 and $ 75 billion in increased investments in child and maternal health in poor countries.
According to the Norwegian Minister of Development, Nikolai Astrup (Conservatives), the GFF model is not only about aid.
– The involved countries must contribute with their own resources. A $ 2 billion contribution could trigger between USD 50 and 75 billion in increased investments in child and maternal health in developing countries. GFF targets the countries that are willing to invest. We do not persuade anyone to join in, it’s the authorities of a country themselves who want to join, says Astrup.
GFF estimates that 35 million lives will be saved by 2030 if they reach their goal.
Global cooperation
The GFF conference, which takes place in Oslo on Tuesday, November 6th, 2018, is a collaboration between Norway, Burkina Faso, the World Bank and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The President of Burkina Faso, Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and the Director of the World Bank, Kristalina Georgieva, will be present along with Melinda Gates. Representatives from about 20 countries will attend the conference as well.
GFF was founded in 2017 by Norway together with Canada, the United Nations and the World Bank. Later, Denmark, Japan, the United Kingdom and the pharmaceutical company MSD have joined in. Several million women, children and young people have access to health and nutrition services as a result of the program.
© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today
