Japan eyes health initiatives for babies, mothers at G-8 summit
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TOKYO, Nov. 22 — Japan plans to propose at next year’s Group of Eight summit in Hokkaido that G-8 leaders issue guidelines to improve health for mothers and babies in developing countries, Foreign Ministry officials said Thursday.
Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura will unveil its outline in a speech Sunday in Tokyo. Envisaged steps include the introduction and expansion of maternity health record books for mothers and babies and the launch of an alliance of international and nongovermental organizations to curb high mortality rates for infants and mothers, the officials said.
G-8 leaders have discussed HIV and other infectious diseases since Japan last hosted the G-8 summit in Okinawa in 2000. But it will be the first time that the group has taken up health issues for mothers and babies as a key agenda item.
Originated in Japan, mother-and-baby notebooks for medical and welfare records have been introduced in Indonesia and four other Asian nations.
Health experts say the notebooks have helped monitor health conditions of expecting mothers in the five countries. It has also helped ensure growth of infants.
According to the officials, the envisaged guidelines will call for an introduction of the notebook in Africa and elsewhere in the world. The guidelines will also request that the G-8 take the lead in training doctors, nurses and midwives in developing countries.
Japan plans to discuss draft guidelines during a G-8 development ministers’ meeting next April in Tokyo and the Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama in May for further talks by the G-8 leaders in July at the Lake Toya hot spring resort area.
The G-8 groups Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.
Filed by Nikola Cvetkovic under Development, Health and Infectious Disease