The Financing Alliance for Health 97d ago

“I lost my baby 17 years ago. A baby girl. Seventeen years later, I am still healing.” At the International Maternal Newborn Health Conference 2026, Margaret Odera, a Community Health Worker, shared a deeply personal message with world leaders, policymakers, and donors. Her story is not just about personal loss. It reflects a systemic failure to adequately finance maternal and newborn health. Margaret spoke about what happens when financing does not reach the grassroots. When communities with the greatest need receive the fewest resources. When informal settlements are home to large populations, yet the funding meant to support mothers and newborns remains limited. Her call to action was clear. Financing must flow bottom up. Community Health Promoters must be recognised, supported, and financed as essential actors in preventing maternal and newborn deaths. When they are adequately resourced, they help identify pregnancies early, connect women to care, and ensure no mother is left alone. The cost of not financing maternal and newborn health is far greater than any budget line. It is a generation at stake.