NAIROBI, Kenya – 24 March 2026 – Professor Dr. Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan, Executive Director of Partners in Population and Development (PPD), delivered a powerful closing address at a high-level policy side event at the International Maternal New-Born Health Conference (IMNHC) 2026, calling for a radical shift in financing and cooperation to end preventable maternal, newborn, and child deaths.
The event, titled “Shaping the Future of MNCH: Country-Led Policy & Financing Dialogue,” was convened by the SMART Advocacy for Strategic Action (SASA) Alliance and a consortium of partners. It brought together ministers, parliamentarians, and global health leaders to address the persistent gaps in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH).
In his closing remarks, Professor Adelegan declared that the world is not facing a knowledge gap, but rather a “delivery, quality, equity, and financing gap.” He framed the annual US$20-25 billion financing deficit for MNCH not as a mere statistic, but as a “gap between life and death” that translates into health facilities without essential equipment, stock-outs of life-saving commodities, and communities left without access to basic care.
“These are not just numbers,” Professor Adelegan stated. “They represent lives lost to postpartum haemorrhage, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and newborn sepsis. They represent new-borns dying from birth asphyxia and prematurity. Let us be clear: the majority of these deaths are preventable. And this is what makes the situation not only tragic but unacceptable.”
Professor Adelegan outlined a three-pronged strategy for transformative change, urging leaders to move beyond fragmented, unsustainable financing models:
- Strengthened Domestic Resource Mobilization: He called on countries to move toward the Abuja target of allocating at least 15% of national budgets to health, prioritizing primary healthcare and MNCH services while reducing out-of-pocket expenditures.
- Innovative and Catalytic Financing: He highlighted the potential of blended finance, health bonds, and other innovative instruments to mobilize large-scale private investment and expand fiscal space for health.
- South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Professor Adelegan emphasized that South-South Cooperation is “no longer optional, it is essential.” He positioned PPD as a central player in enabling countries to share and scale cost-effective MNCH solutions, from community health worker programs to maternal death surveillance and response systems.
He concluded with a powerful call to action, urging the distinguished delegates to leave the room not with declarations, but with concrete commitments.
“The future of maternal, new-born, and child health will not be determined by what we say,” he affirmed. “It will be determined by what we do. Let us act boldly, urgently, technically, and collectively. Because the time for action is now.”
The event provided a critical platform for dialogue on country-led solutions and set a clear agenda for leveraging policy, advocacy, and financing to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals for maternal and child health.
:: Read the Closing Remarks
Professor Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan with SASA Alliance team at the IMNHC 2026
Executive Director, Professor Joseph Akinkugbe Adelegan with Gates Foundation Staff, Mr. Patrick Mugirwa – Acting Regional Director – PPD African Regional Office, and SASA Alliance team
