UN agency seeks funding to curb rising maternal deaths in Asia-Pacificbr br United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Director for Asia and the Pacific Pio Smith tells The Manila Times during an interview at the sidelines of the AVPN Global Conference in Hong Kong last September that they were seeking investments from government, private sector, and even blended financing to curb increasing maternal deaths in the region. He said that the region lacked one million midwives who could assist pregnant mothers, especially in climate-stressed areas.