Gates gives Concern €29m to fight deaths

IRISH aid agency Concern has been given a $41 million (€29m) donation from the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation to help tackle spiralling baby and mother deaths in developing countries.

Concern Worldwide has received the funds from the philanthropic group founded by the US computer entrepreneur partly to help prevent early child deaths, where in some countries every one in four children die before their fifth birthday.

Concern plans to host a type of talent contest in six chosen poor countries to help find innovative ideas about targeting mother and child health issues.