The delegates of FIGO World Congress in Rio de Janiero this week enjoyed an impressive beginning to the Presidency of Dr Carlos Fuchtner of Bolivia.
Maternal mortality was a major theme of his opening address when he highlighted the fact that 52% of maternal deaths are attributable to the three leading, and entirely preventable, causes of haemorrhage, sepsis and hypertensive disorders. Dr Fuchtner also addressed that 8% of maternal mortality can be attributed to unsafe abortion, before addressing the unmet need for access to family planning and the estimated costs of gender based violence in some countries runs from 1.2% to 3.7% of GDP.
Dr Fuchtner made the following commitments:
- To lead FIGO to address issues of cancer preventions and treatment, infection and diseases, prematurity and non-communicable diseases.
- To implement a strategy to prevent violence against women.
- To change the perception that FIGO is strongly dominated by men. And to promote women to become FIGO leaders for all levels of the organisation.
- To decrease maternal mortality due to PPH by implementation of PPH Bundles.
- To implement ‘International Childbirth Initiative’
- To make contraception available at low cost worldwide.
- Making a strong commitment towards reducing unsafe abortion.