Causes
edit===
The leading causes of death of children under five include:
- Preterm birth complications (18%)
- Pneumonia (16%)
- Interpartum-related events (12%)
- Neonatal sepsis (7%)
- Diarrhea (8%)
- Malaria (5%)
- Malnutrition and Under nutrition There is variation of child mortality around the world. Countries that are in the second or third stage of the Demographic Transition Mode (DTM) have higher rates of child mortality than countries in the fourth or fifth stage. Chad infant mortality is about 96 per 1,000 live births, compared to only 2.2 per 1,000 live births in Japan.[1] In 2010, there was a global estimate of 7.6 million child deaths with most occurring in less developed countries. Among those, 4.7[2] million died from infection and disorder.[2] Child mortality is not only caused by infection and disorder: it is also caused by premature birth; birth defect; new born infection; birth complication; and diseases like malaria, sepsis, and diarrhea.[3] In less developed countries, malnutrition is the main cause of child mortality.[3] Pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria together are the cause of 1 out of every 3 deaths before the age of 5 while nearly half of under-five deaths globally are attributable to under-nutrition.[4] ===
Low-cost interventions
editTwo-thirds of child deaths are preventable.[5] Most of the 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, improved family care and breastfeeding practices,[6] and oral rehydration therapy.[7] Empowering women, removing financial and social barriers to accessing basic services, developing innovations that make the supply of critical services more available to the poor and increasing local accountability of health systems are policy interventions that have allowed health systems to improve equity and reduce mortality.[8]
In developing countries, child mortality rates related to respiratory and diarrheal diseases can be reduced by introducing simple behavioral changes, such as handwashing with soap. This simple action can reduce the rate of mortality from these diseases by almost 50 per cent.[9] Proven, cost-effective interventions can save the lives of millions of children per year. The UN Vaccine division as of 2014 supported 36% of the world's children in order to best improve their survival chances, yet still, low-cost immunization interventions do not reach 30 million children despite success in reducing polio, tetanus, and measles.[10] Measles and tetanus still kill more than 1 million children under 5 each year. Vitamin A supplementation costs only $0.02 for each capsule and given 2–3 times a year will prevent blindness and death. Although vitamin A supplementation has been shown to reduce all-cause mortality by 12 to 24 per cent, only 70 per cent of targeted children were reached in 2015.[11] Between 250,000 and 500,000 children become blind every year, with 70 percent of them dying within 12 months. Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) is an effective treatment for lost liquids through diarrhea; yet only 4 in 10 (44 per cent) of children ill with diarrhea are treated with ORT.[11]
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 30% of the world's population does not have access to basic sanitation, and 844 million people use unsafe sources of drinking water.[12]
- ^ Weeks JR (2015-01-01). Population : an introduction to concepts and issues (Twelfth ed.). Boston, MA. ISBN 9781305094505. OCLC 884617656.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b "Global, regional, and national causes of child mortality: an updated systematic analysis for 2010 with time trends since 2000" (Document). ProQuest 1023015914.
{{cite document}}: Cite document requires|publisher=(help) - ^ a b "Child mortality: Top causes, best solutions | World Vision". World Vision. 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
- ^ "UNICEF STATISTICS". Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ UNICEF - Young child survival and development.
- ^ "UNICEF - Goal: Reduce child mortality". Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "WHO - New formula for oral rehydration salts will save millions of lives". Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "Surveys - UNICEF MICS" (PDF). www.childinfo.org.
- ^ Curtis V, Cairncross S (May 2003). "Effect of washing hands with soap on diarrhoea risk in the community: a systematic review". The Lancet. Infectious Diseases. 3 (5): 275–81. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(03)00606-6. PMID 12726975.
- ^ Jadhav S, Gautam M, Gairola S (May 2014). "Role of vaccine manufacturers in developing countries towards global healthcare by providing quality vaccines at affordable prices". Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 20 Suppl 5: 37–44. doi:10.1111/1469-0691.12568. PMID 24476201.
- ^ a b "UNICEF STATISTICS". Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ "Water, sanitation and hygiene overview". UNICEF.