United Nations Commission for Lifesaving Commodities for Women and Children

The UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children (UNCoLSC) was set up as part of the United Nations Secretary-General's Every Woman, Every Child programme. It is premised on the projection that a strong worldwide intervention has the power to save over 6 million lives by 2015 through increasing access to, and appropriate use of, 13 lifesaving commodities that are underutilized during pregnancy, childbirth, and early childhood (especially under-five years). The UNCoLSC therefore works to make these thirteen life-saving commodities more widely available and used in low-income nations to forestall preventable maternal and child deaths.UNCoLSC http://www.lifesavingcommodities.org/un-commission-on-life-saving-commodities-from-recommendations-to-impact/

These thirteen commodities are below with the common barriers or medical conditions that they prevent or help in parentheses:

Oxytocin - (postpartum haemorrhage) Misoprostol - (postpartum haemorrhage) Magnesium sulfate - (eclampsia and severe pre-eclampsia) Injectable antibiotics - (newborn sepsis) Antenatal corticosteroids (ANCs) - (preterm respiratory distress syndrome) Chlorhexidine - (newborn cord care) Resuscitation devices - (newborn asphyxia) Amoxicillin - (pneumonia) Oral rehydration salts (ORS) - (diarrhoea) Zinc - (diarrhoea) Female condoms - (family planning and contraception) Contraceptive implants - (family planning and contraception) Emergency contraception (family planning and contraception)

References

See also Female Condom - Awareness and Access