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Child Mortality
Child mortality is typically defined as the number of deaths of children
under five years of age in a given year per one thousand children between
birth to the age of five (5). The utility of child mortality as a health
indicator depends upon the population context in which it is used. For
example, in a developed country, where the leading global causes of child
mortality are not as prevalent, the rates of specific causes of child
mortality could be used in the prioritization of prevention programming
(e.g., geared toward motor vehicle passenger safety). In a developing
country, however, child mortality rates may play a more significant role as
an indicator of broader health, and of environmental and social issues, such
as malnutrition, water sanitation, poverty, and access to health systems.
According to UNICEF about 29,000 children under the age of five – 21 each
minute – die every day, mainly from preventable causes. More than 70 per
cent of almost 11 million child deaths every year are attributable to six
causes: diarrhea, malaria, neonatal infection, pneumonia, preterm delivery,
or lack of oxygen at birth.
These deaths occur mainly in the developing world. And the majority are
preventable. Some of the deaths occur from illnesses like measles, malaria
or tetanus. Others result indirectly from marginalization, conflict and
HIV/AIDS. Malnutrition and the lack of safe water and sanitation contribute
to half of all these children’s deaths.
But disease isn’t inevitable, nor do children with these diseases need to
die. Research and experience show that six million of the almost 11 million
children who die each year could be saved by low-tech, evidence-based,
cost-effective measures such as vaccines, antibiotics, micronutrient
supplementation, insecticide-treated bed nets and improved family care and
breastfeeding practices.
These measures are the basis for GLOPEC actions to help children survive by
- Providing high-impact health and nutrition interventions
- Improving family care practices
- Increasing access to improved water and sanitation
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