April 13.2016 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY PROCEEDINGS

Vol. XLVIII No. 12 

MR. B. DAVIS: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in this hon. House to recognize a pioneer in the fight for better health care in the developing world. Dr. Robert Walley is an emeritus professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Memorial University, and is founder and executive director of MaterCare International. MaterCare is a charitable organization headquaftered in St. John's, operating with the mission to bring obstetric care to some of the poorest regions of the world. Dr. Walley's expertise in the field of maternal health care in the developing regions of Africa has eamed him international recognition, including a papal medal. On March 17, Dr. Walley was selected as a panellist for a side event at the United Nations during its 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. He delivered a presentation that advocated on behalf of mothers who are suffering due to inadequate obstetric care in their home regions. This presentation, aimed at bringing greater awareness to the Western world of this vital issue, was the latest in an outreach efforl that he's championed for decades. I ask hon. Members in this House to join me in recognizing Dr. Walley for his humanitarian advocacy and his long-standing effort to bring accessible maternal health care to the developing world. Thank you. (Min. 3:17)

Dr. Robert Walley wishes to thank Mr. Davis for his initiative on behalf of everyone in the association of MaterCare International. Thank you! 

OFFICIAL STATEMENT, April 15, 2016

WESTERN MATERNAL HEALTH DEBATES IN AFRICA: THE NEO-COLONIALIST ACHILLES’ HEELS AND FAILURES OF WESTERN MATERNAL HEALTH DEBATES IN AFRICA

*An Achilles’ heel is a weakness in spite of overall strength, which can actually or potentially lead to downfall.

“When you look at the causes of maternal mortality, 91% of them occur in the last 3 months of pregnancy, during labor and delivery and afterward, abortion and birth control are irrelevant. The only ‘solution’ being offered [from the UNFPA] is that if a mother wants to stay alive she’s got to kill her baby. That’s outrageous” -Dr. Robert Walley, during the Best Practices for Maternal Health Care in Africa - CSW60 Side Event*, March 17, 2016. 

“It is an international disgrace that since the inception of the first Safe Motherhood Conference in Nairobi in 1987, none of the goals set by the international community to reduce the number of maternal deaths, have been met, including most recently the 5th Millennium goal, simply because mothers did not receive adequate care..” (UN-MCI Statement March 7th 2016) *,

The UNFPA continues to fund, along with western governments and groups like the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, the use of depo-provera, the development of contraceptive implants and microchips, most recently the use of contraceptive drones, and advocacy of abortion in African countries, even though the overwhelming majority of the solutions to resolving maternal mortality involve providing proper prenatal care to identify high risk mothers in the final 3 months of pregnancy and essential obstetrical care (MaterCare’s 91% Solution*). The question for us is, how are we going to get the UNFPA and the Commission on the Status of Women to recognize this solution so that we can start saving lives? Read the full statement here>