Beginnings Fund: A Lifeline for Mothers and Newborns in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Beginnings Fund, backed by the Gates Foundation and other philanthropies, has launched nearly $500 million to improve maternal and newborn health in sub-Saharan Africa. Operating in ten countries, it focuses on low-cost interventions and aims to save 300,000 lives by 2030 amid declining global health aid.

A coalition of philanthropic organizations, including the Gates Foundation, has initiated the Beginnings Fund, a $500 million project aimed at reducing the mortality rate among newborns and mothers in sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative stands out in a landscape where global health funding is dwindling.

Launched in Abu Dhabi, with backing from the UAE's Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, the Beginnings Fund aims to collaborate with African governments and experts rather than imposing external solutions. The initiative is a response to the withdrawal of international aid by several countries, most notably the U.S.

Targeting 300,000 lives by 2030, the fund focuses on low-cost interventions against common causes of death in ten African nations. The decline in maternal and newborn deaths globally has stagnated, raising alarms from the WHO about the impacts of reduced aid. The fund is also supported by the Children's Investment Fund Foundation and others, with operations based in Nairobi, Kenya.

(With inputs from agencies.)