The Lancet today published two new peer-reviewed Countdown papers, with their release timed to coincide with the launch of the 2014 Countdown Report at the PMNCH Partners’ Forum, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from June 30 – July 1, 2014.

 

The articles include a new Countdown to 2015 country case study on maternal mortality in Bangladesh. Countdown is engaging in a series of country case studies to explore in-depth how countries have achieved or failed to achieve progress in women’s and children’s health, and this study is thought to be the first systematic presentation of evidence for a low-income or middle-income country explaining the impact of health and non-health factors on maternal mortality related to women’s and children’s health at a national scale.

 

Also published in The Lancet today is a new article that summarizes the results from the Countdown 2014 report. It examines the data supporting evidence-based decisions in women’s and children’s health, describes elements of the Countdown process that might inform ongoing efforts to hold the world to account for progress, and lists concrete steps that can be taken now to ensure continued progress for women and children.