VOA常速英语:解决孕产妇和新生儿死亡问题迫在眉睫

In the delivery room, this is the sound you want to hear, it means the baby can breathe.If fluid fills the baby’s airway, trained staff can clear it and save a baby’s life.

In a health care facility with electricity and running water,doctors and trained attendants can give a woman a life-saving blood transfusion if she bleeds heavily after giving birth.They can also perform a cesarean section if needed which can increase the chances of survival for both mother and infant.

In some countries, hospitals don’t always have electricity, or running water,or enough trained midwives and nurses to save women and babies when things go wrong.

“In the year 2016, we have almost 6 million children under the age of 5 years that lose their life,and also we have almost 300,000 women that lose their life due to complication of childbirth.”

Dr. Flavia Bustreo spoke to VOA by Skype.She is leading a team at the World Health Organization, UNICEF and 9 Asian and African countries to improve health care for mothers, infants and children,to make sure every pregnant woman receives good care throughout her pregnancy, delivery, and post pregnancy period and that all babies get quality care before, during and after birth.

Bustreo says the risk is greatest for mothers around the time of delivery.For babies, the risk of dying is greatest in the first few days of life.

Some of the work means convincing women to have their babies in a birthing facility.The countries involved will create their own plans to achieve these goals.

“The dynamics we are trying to create is to have the partners and players within each country to create their targets,so that they own those targets, and they are also responsible and accountable to their own population for delivery.”

The goal is ultimately to end preventable deaths of mothers and babies.But first, the 9 countries aim to cut maternal and infant death in half within the next five years.

Carol Pearson, VOA news, Washington.