Child survival
Encyclopedia
Child survival is a field of public health
concerned with reducing child mortality
. Child survival interventions are designed to address the most common causes of child deaths that occur, which includes diarrhea
, pneumonia
, malaria
, and neonatal conditions. Of the portion of children under the age of 5 alone, an estimated 9.2 million children die each year mostly from such preventable causes. According to an estimate by UNICEF, one million child deaths could be prevented annually at a cost of $US 1 billion per year (an average of $US 1000 for each child).
The British medical journal The Lancet
has published a widely-quoted series of five articles outlining the current child survival situation, include challenges and feasible solutions, commonly referred to as "The Lancet Child Survival Series". The series outlines a number of child survival interventions which have been scientifically proven to reduce mortality, include oral rehydration therapy
, sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, vitamin A
supplementation, and community-based antibiotic treatment for pneumonia
. Agencies promoting and implementing child survival activities worldwide include UNICEF and non-governmental organization
s; major child survival donors worldwide include the World Bank
, the British Government's Department for International Development
, the Canadian International Development Agency
and the United States Agency for International Development
. In the United States, most non-governmental child survival agencies belong to the CORE Group, a coalition working, through collaborative action, to save the lives of young children in the world's poorest countries.
The child survival strategies and interventions are in line with MDGs No 4 which focused on Reducing child mortality by 2/3 of children under five before the year 2015. Many countries are now devoted to the child survival interventions as a way of reducing the child mortality. In ACP countries European commission (EC) is intervening to with funds and technical capacity to assist the ACP countries reinforce their immunisation services through a project called EU-PRIME which was a baby of cotonou agreement. The overall aim of the project is to reduce the impact and incidence of vaccines preventable diseases (VPDs)in countries of intervention.
Every year nearly 10 million children under age five die, mostly from preventable and treatable diseases. Nearly 27,000 children die every day as a result of diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea and complications during childbirth. Malnutrition is an underlying contributor in over half of these deaths. Similarly, 4 million newborns die in the first 4 weeks of life (40 percent of under-5 deaths). 98 percent of under-5 deaths occur across only 42 developing countries.
Proven, cost-effective interventions can save the lives of millions of children per year.Immunization interventions still do not reach 30 million children, despite success in immunizations in reducing polio, tetanus, and measles. Measles and tetanus still kill more than 1 million children under 5 each year. Vitamin A supplementation costs only $0.02 cents for each capsule and given 2-3 times a year will prevent blindness and death. Although vitamin A supplementation saved an estimated 2.3 million lives between 1999 and 2004, only half of young children in poor countries receive these treatments. Between 250,000 and 500,000 children become blind every year, with 70 percent of them dying within 12 months. Oral rehydration therapy
(ORT) has helped to reduce diarrhea deaths by half, saving an estimated 1 million lives annually; yet more than 2 million children still die from diarrhea-related causes each year.
Essential newborn care - including immunizing mothers against tetanus, ensuring clean delivery practices in a hygienic birthing environment, drying and wrapping the baby immediately after birth, providing necessary warmth, and promoting immediate and continued breastfeeding, immunization, and treatment of infections with antibiotics - could save the lives of 3 million newborns annually. Improved sanitation and access to clean drinking water can reduce childhood infections and diarrhea. Over 40 percent of the world's population does not have access to basic sanitation, and more than one billion people use unsafe sources of drinking water.
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
concerned with reducing child mortality
Child mortality
Child mortality, also known as under-5 mortality, refers to the death of infants and children under the age of five. In 2010, 7.6 million children under five died , down from 8.1 million in 2009, 8.8 million in 2008, and 12.4 million in 1990. About half of child deaths occur in Africa....
. Child survival interventions are designed to address the most common causes of child deaths that occur, which includes diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, and neonatal conditions. Of the portion of children under the age of 5 alone, an estimated 9.2 million children die each year mostly from such preventable causes. According to an estimate by UNICEF, one million child deaths could be prevented annually at a cost of $US 1 billion per year (an average of $US 1000 for each child).
The British medical journal The Lancet
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...
has published a widely-quoted series of five articles outlining the current child survival situation, include challenges and feasible solutions, commonly referred to as "The Lancet Child Survival Series". The series outlines a number of child survival interventions which have been scientifically proven to reduce mortality, include oral rehydration therapy
Oral rehydration therapy
Oral rehydration therapy is a simple treatment for dehydration associated with diarrhoea, particularly gastroenteritis or gastroenteropathy, such as that caused by cholera or rotavirus. ORT consists of a solution of salts and sugars which is taken by mouth...
, sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, vitamin A
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a vitamin that is needed by the retina of the eye in the form of a specific metabolite, the light-absorbing molecule retinal, that is necessary for both low-light and color vision...
supplementation, and community-based antibiotic treatment for pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. Agencies promoting and implementing child survival activities worldwide include UNICEF and non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
s; major child survival donors worldwide include the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, the British Government's Department for International Development
Department for International Development
The Department For International Development is a United Kingdom government department with a Cabinet Minister in charge. It was separated from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1997. The goal of the department is "to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty". The current...
, the Canadian International Development Agency
Canadian International Development Agency
The Canadian International Development Agency was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations...
and the United States Agency for International Development
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
. In the United States, most non-governmental child survival agencies belong to the CORE Group, a coalition working, through collaborative action, to save the lives of young children in the world's poorest countries.
The child survival strategies and interventions are in line with MDGs No 4 which focused on Reducing child mortality by 2/3 of children under five before the year 2015. Many countries are now devoted to the child survival interventions as a way of reducing the child mortality. In ACP countries European commission (EC) is intervening to with funds and technical capacity to assist the ACP countries reinforce their immunisation services through a project called EU-PRIME which was a baby of cotonou agreement. The overall aim of the project is to reduce the impact and incidence of vaccines preventable diseases (VPDs)in countries of intervention.
Every year nearly 10 million children under age five die, mostly from preventable and treatable diseases. Nearly 27,000 children die every day as a result of diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea and complications during childbirth. Malnutrition is an underlying contributor in over half of these deaths. Similarly, 4 million newborns die in the first 4 weeks of life (40 percent of under-5 deaths). 98 percent of under-5 deaths occur across only 42 developing countries.
Proven, cost-effective interventions can save the lives of millions of children per year.Immunization interventions still do not reach 30 million children, despite success in immunizations in reducing polio, tetanus, and measles. Measles and tetanus still kill more than 1 million children under 5 each year. Vitamin A supplementation costs only $0.02 cents for each capsule and given 2-3 times a year will prevent blindness and death. Although vitamin A supplementation saved an estimated 2.3 million lives between 1999 and 2004, only half of young children in poor countries receive these treatments. Between 250,000 and 500,000 children become blind every year, with 70 percent of them dying within 12 months. Oral rehydration therapy
Oral rehydration therapy
Oral rehydration therapy is a simple treatment for dehydration associated with diarrhoea, particularly gastroenteritis or gastroenteropathy, such as that caused by cholera or rotavirus. ORT consists of a solution of salts and sugars which is taken by mouth...
(ORT) has helped to reduce diarrhea deaths by half, saving an estimated 1 million lives annually; yet more than 2 million children still die from diarrhea-related causes each year.
Essential newborn care - including immunizing mothers against tetanus, ensuring clean delivery practices in a hygienic birthing environment, drying and wrapping the baby immediately after birth, providing necessary warmth, and promoting immediate and continued breastfeeding, immunization, and treatment of infections with antibiotics - could save the lives of 3 million newborns annually. Improved sanitation and access to clean drinking water can reduce childhood infections and diarrhea. Over 40 percent of the world's population does not have access to basic sanitation, and more than one billion people use unsafe sources of drinking water.