Partners In Population And Development Receives $3 Million Grant From The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

DHAKA, Bangladesh -- Partners in Population and Development (Partners) announced today that its efforts to further information sharing around reproductive health issues among southern hemisphere countries have received a $3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The grant will allow Partners to establish a training programme to develop a new generation of planners, programme managers, technical experts and service providers.

"This, we hope, will lead to sustained improvements in reproductive health and development," said Balla Musa Silla, Executive Director of Partners in Population and Development.

"Improving the health of women and children in developing countries is a primary goal of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation," said Dr. Gordon Perkin, Executive Director, Global Health Program, at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "The South-South initiative is a very effective model because it encourages developing countries to share their successes and best practices with each other."

Speaking on behalf of the 16 member countries, the Chair of Partners in Population and Development and Egypt's Minister of Health and Population, Dr. Ismail Sallam said, "We are all delighted by the news. The Foundation was an early and strong supporter of Partners and its programmes, and, with this grant, Partners can expand its training activities and network of institutions involved in South-South initiatives in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia."

At a midpoint review of progress on the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action, international donors and representatives of developing countries identified the limited institutional capacity in some countries as key obstacles to implementing the Cairo agenda.

"We know that the goals of the Programme of Action can be achieved – our members are proof of that," said Balla Musa Silla. "Today, men and women in these countries have what they need to make informed choices about their health and that of their families. There are health professionals and organisations that can provide couples with the information, support and services they need. Through the Global Training and Leadership Development Programme, this collective know-how will be available to potential leaders in other countries."

With the Foundation's support, Partners will develop a Global Training and Leadership Development Programme in co-ordination with premier training institutions from its member countries. "Our objective is to create cost-effective and sustainable reproductive health training programmes, thus building and strengthening the existing capacity," said Professor Badrud Duza, Director of the new programme.

The Global Training and Leadership Development Programme, expected to commence this August, will be carried out under the guidance of the International Advisory Committee, comprised of eminent thinkers in the field of population and development.