African Science Academies Issue Report on Using Science To Save Lives

November 9, 2009 -- A new report from the national science academies of seven African countries estimates that the lives of nearly 4 million women, newborns, and children in sub-Saharan Africa could be saved every year if already well-established, affordable health interventions reached 90 percent of families. The report was released at the annual conference of the African Science Academy Development Initiative in Accra, Ghana.

The figures were calculated using modeling software recently developed by an international group of researchers. The model showed that even small increases in the delivery of proven interventions to more of the population could save hundreds of thousands of lives. The results also show how the latest evidence can be used by policymakers to prioritize interventions that, if scaled up, would have the greatest impact on saving the lives of mothers and their children, the report's authors said.

• Press Release
• Full Report (PDF 3.33MB)
• ASADI Web Site