Ban also called for an international response to maternal and child health worldwide, AFP/Google reports. "The global impact of maternal and newborn deaths has been estimated at 15 billion dollars a year in lost productivity," Ki-moon said. "We must use maternal health as a lens through which we decide and act on global health policies" (AFP/Google, 6/15).

NPR's Morning Edition examines international efforts to protect the health needs of mothers and children in developing countries. According NPR, "Ban called on donors to  honor existing commitments to the Millennium Development Goals, pledges that amount to $20 billion between 2007 and 2015 an amount totaling $20 billion between 2007 and 2015" (Wilson, NPR, 6/15).

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