**5. Conclusion: takeaway messages about leadership and MCH in SSA countries**

This chapter has stressed the well-known socioeconomic disadvantage sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is facing adverse maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes compared to other regions of the world. Essentially, it showed that most SSA countries did not reach Millennium Development Goals (MDG)-4 and MDG-5. Also, it is very likely that SSA countries will not achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-3 based on the actual progress of most countries in the region. Given the alarming landscape of the region regarding MCH, and based on previous work, the chapter has demonstrated that leadership plays a pivotal to boost MCH outcomes in the region on the one hand and to accelerate the socioeconomic development of the region as a whole. Indeed, most SSA countries have committed in international agenda about maternal and child health, and they all have policies and programs targeting MCH outcomes. However, significant progress toward targets on SDG-3 is rare in most countries. First, data are lacking to provide them with clear evidence to devise specific programs and interventions. On this matter, data revolution in the region is compulsory. Most sources of data, mainly Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and Multiple Indicators Surveys (MIS) are not funded by national/local governments. Therefore, there is a lack of ownership in the region and SSA countries. Second, research funding is lacking in most SSA countries; yet it is harder to think of development with Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation. Third, the region is struggling to get enlightened leaders with a clear vision to determine where their respective countries and the region is heading in the next 10 or 20 years.
