The official establishment ceremony of the Fonterra Rural Maternity and Infant Healthcare Community Program was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 16. The program aims at providing health services for women and children in China's less developed areas.

The program is an important part of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation's (CSCLF) "Maternal and Infant Safety Project." It will provide a total of US$5 million over a period of five years to the cause. CSCLF, a non-governmental institution, carries forward a spirit of love for children and promotes healthy growth in both body and mind.

The program will provide basic medical equipment for pregnant women, as well as carry out a series of training, promotional and educational activities to ensure the safety of mothers and infants. It will also provide training for medical staff in rural areas on advanced topics of obstetrics and pediatrics.

"The program accords with the current situation of the Chinese society, and it will play an active role in promoting the maternal and child health care in backward areas," said Li Ning, secretary-general of CSCLF, in his speech during the ceremony.

"The joint program will provide professional treatment for pregnant and lying-in women and newborns to guarantee their health," said Henry van der Heyden, president of the New Zealand Fonterra Cooperative Group, New Zealand's largest multinational company and contributor of the health program.

(China.org.cn, April 16, 2009)