Global health According to the World Health Organization's 2005 World Health Report, poor maternal conditions are the fourth leading cause of death for women worldwide, after HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. Most maternal deaths and injuries can be prevented, and such deaths have been largely eradicated in the developed world. Targets for improving maternal health include increasing the number of deliveries accompanied by skilled birth attendants. 68 low-income countries tracked by the WHO- and UNICEF-led collaboration "Countdown to 2015" are estimated to hold for 97% of worldwide maternal and child deaths. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has highlighted the global nature of human health and
The Grand Challenges in Global Health Bill Gates first announced the Grand Challenges in Global Health at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In partnership with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMFG) granted $200 million to the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH). The goal behind the initiative was to fund research to advance the fight against disease that disproportionately affects people in the world's poorest countries. At this time the scientific board's responsibilities were outlined: to identify scientific or technological innovations that have a global impact or show potential for feasibility. In May 2003, the