For countries like Nigeria—the continent’s most populous nation—and Ghana, which has made notable progress in maternal health but still struggles with regional disparities, such funds are crucial.
A new alliance has launched the Beginnings Fund, a $500 million initiative aiming to reduce maternal and newborn deaths across Africa.
Over the next five years, the Fund will invest in up to 10 African countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
While 90% of the targeted funding has already been raised, Alice Kang’ethe, CEO of the Beginnings Fund, tells FORBES AFRICA: “Discussions on the level of partnership with individual countries are currently ongoing.”
Each year, an estimated 178,000 women and 1 million newborns die from preventable causes in Africa, alongside nearly 1 million stillbirths. The region remains the epicenter of this crisis, accounting for 70% of global maternal deaths, and newborn deaths within the first month of life remain the region’s leading cause of child mortality.
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Without focused and sustained investment, countries like Nigeria and Ghana risk falling short of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for maternal and child health by 2030.
The Beginnings Fund is a coalition-led effort, supported by leading global philanthropies including the Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the Gates Foundation, Delta Philanthropies, The ELMA Foundation, and others.
There is also an additional $100 million earmarked for direct initiatives that align with the Fund’s mission.
In Nigeria, where maternal mortality remains among the highest globally—estimated at 512 deaths per 100,000 live births (as of 2018)—the Fund’s support could help bridge the resource and personnel gaps plaguing public health facilities. Similarly, Ghana, while having reduced maternal mortality by nearly half since 2000, still faces systemic challenges in rural regions where healthcare access remains limited.
At the heart of the Fund’s model is government ownership. According to Kang’ethe, the initiative is not just about delivering aid—it’s about “fostering long-term financial responsibility.”
This includes ensuring governments can gradually absorb the cost of expanded health workforces and maintain improved systems beyond the Fund’s timeline.
“Sustainability has been a core principle from the outset,” Kang’ethe notes. “We explicitly aim to strengthen—not substitute—existing systems.”
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