Every year, over 10 million children die across the world before reaching the age of five. Nearly 99% of the deaths occur in the developing countries, out of which south Asia accounts for 3.1 million.
According to the latest figures, the average child mortality rate (child deaths per thousand live births) for South Asia stands at 83 per 1,000 as compared to 6 per 1,000 in the United Kingdom (UK).
Saving Children’s Lives, a report brought out by Save the children, a UK-based organisation reveals that only seven of the 60 countries – Bangladesh, Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Nepal and Philippines – are on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) with regard to child survival.
Given the current state of affairs, the target of reducing child mortality under five to two-thirds between 1990-2015 cannot be achieved until 2045.
In the poorest countries, children still remain susceptible to killer diseases like malaria, diarrohea, measles, AIDS, etc. Additional factors like lack of hygienic sanitation, malnutrition, poverty, female illiteracy make poor children more vulnerable.
Child survival prospects are further affected by bad governance, violent conflicts and worsening environmental trends.
The new Wealth and Survival Index carried out by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Save the Children shows how some countries are fairing better than others relative to their levels of national income.
This variation is caused by the vast inequality in distribution of wealth. For instance, war torn Angola has managed to figure in the middle-income counties category. But the gross imbalance between wealth and child survival is indicated by the country’s second highest child mortality rate of 262.
For example, India’s Gross national Index (GNI) has increased by a staggering 82% between 2000-06 and yet the child mortality rate here is 76. While Bangladesh, though witnessed a much smaller 23% increase in GNI, its child mortality rate is better at 69.
Thus, despite limited resources some countries are performing better due to effective policy formulation and implementation.
Bangladesh’s case is explained by adoption of Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy in 1998. This has improved country’s community-based services focusing on health, literacy and action against poverty.
The research highlights that a 5% improvement in child survival rates increases economic growth by 1%.
The report’s major thrust is upon equity of MDGs as child mortality cannot be divorced from broader political and socio-economic development. Some of the key recommendations of the report include impact assessment of government policies on child and maternal health, investment and resource allocation for healthcare, education, water and sanitation.
The report calls for onus on part of the richer countries to give away policies that damage development prospects of the poorer countries.
For instance huge subsidies for agricultural distort global food markets, carbon emissions cause climate change, etc. Also, the global civil society network and governments must share their expertise and knowledge base to protect children’s rights.
Source: http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/157997/1/6721
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