Flickr, by Dierk Schaefer
Seattle recently hosted a big international meeting in which many of the world’s leaders in the fight to improve health met to parse data, debate statistical methods and struggle toward consensus aimed at informing the global health agenda.
Given this focus on data, are the biggest contributors to the global burden of disease also getting the most attention and resources?
Consider two major causes of death and disability worldwide — maternal mortality and mental illness.
Today, the international community, or at least the global health community, has made reducing the number of maternal deaths and complications in childbirth worldwide a top priority. The Gates Foundation has made this a primary mission of its global health program. This priority, which really targets both mothers and children, represents two of the UN’s eight Millennium Development Goals.
Maternal health is wisely regarded as a critical, high-value goal for global health because of the important (and not always measurable) magnified benefits to a family and community that come from focusing on women’s reproductive health and the health of newborns.
Yet, surprisingly, mental illness actually kills and maims more young mothers worldwide.