New health scheme launched to help world's poor

By Adrian Croft

LONDON (Reuters) - Seven developing countries in Africa and Asia will be the first to take part in a new global health campaign aimed at directing aid more effectively at the basic needs of poor countries, Britain said on Wednesday.

Health ministers from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Cambodia and Nepal will take part in the initiative aimed at improving health systems in developing countries and better coordinating aid that flows in to these nations.

The partnership involves eight donor nations -- including Britain, Germany, France and Italy -- along with international agencies and non-profit groups like the World Health Organisation, the African Development Bank and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

"Today we come together -- donor governments, health agencies and developing countries -- with the certainty that we have the knowledge and the power to save millions of lives through our efforts," Prime Minister Gordon Brown said in a statement.

The new partnership aims to reduce child and maternal mortality and tackle diseases such as HIV/AIDS by building long-term health infrastructure in developing countries and by improving coordination among donors.

Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced the creation of the International Health Partnership when they met in London last month.

Norway -- whose prime minister was set to join Brown at an event later on Wednesday to promote the plan -- is also participating, as are the Netherlands, Canada and Portugal. The European Commission, World Bank and others have also thrown their support behind the programme, the British government said.

AMERICAN SUPPORT