“Developing countries are making efforts to improve the health of women and children but more needs to be done, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said” at an awards ceremony in New York, United Press International reports. “‘As of today, more than 60 countries have committed to step up efforts to improve women and children’s health,’ Ban said,” the news agency writes (10/14).

“Ban said he was pleased with the progress and commitment made by developing countries since the launch of the Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health a year ago,” the U.N. News Centre reports, adding that “he warned that there are still a lot of obstacles to overcome and that there is a long way to go as millions of women and children are still dying due to poor health conditions” (10/13).