London's Maternal Conference Ends on Hopeful Note (2/2)

Dr. Okong added that while epidemics such as cholera or ebola provoke an immediate response, maternal mortality does not carry the same weight. Okong said governments and NGOs that are motivated will make the difference.

The conference took place amid concerns that Millennium Development Goal Five, which aims to improve maternal health, may not be achieved. The United Nations goal is to reduce maternal mortality by 75 percent between 1990 and 2015.

Family care International's Sheffield says even if the goal is not met, it is possible to get close if everyone works hard enough.

"We might not get quite there, we are starting way far behind, but part of the strength of my feeling about this is the recognition that those other Millennium Development Goals are not going to be as successful if we don't reach number five, women are absolutely at the heart of our families and our communities, they are also at the heart of the Millennium Development Goals."

Sheffield said the example of Honduras - where the government succeeded in reducing maternal mortality by forty percent - is proof that political will can tip the balance.

参考译文：

欧康医生补充说象霍乱及埃博拉之类的传染病往往会立刻引起反应，而产妇死亡的情况却没有那么受重视。他认为如果促使政府和非洲非政府组织（做出努力），情况就会不同。
注：埃博拉/伊波拉病毒(ebola virus)一种病死率极高的急性出血性传染病

《千年发展目标》的第五条旨在改善产妇健康，但是人们关心这个目标尚未实现，于是召开这次大会。联合国这个目标是为了从1990到2015年间争取把产妇死亡率降低75%。

国际家庭护理组织的谢菲尔德说尽管这个目标尚未达成，但只要每个人付出足够的努力就能接近目标。

“我们可能还没有达到目标，距离它还有很大差距，但我深深地觉得必须认识到如果我们不能完成第五个计划，那么其它的千年发展目标也将不会成功。妇女毫无疑问是家庭和社会的核心，她们也是这个千年发展目标的核心。

谢菲尔德还举了个例子：洪都拉斯的政府成功地把产妇死亡率降低了40%——这就证明政治力量能够起决定性作用。