What is Being Done About Goal 4, Reduce Child Mortality
Did you know that 10 million little children die each year from deaths that could have been prevented or cured with a simple, inexpensive vaccine? Child Mortality is a big problem. In some countries, more than others. Child deaths are the most common in Sub-Sahara Africa. This group of people dying includes children under the age of five. Governments in the North and South promise to help. But is that enough? What else are people like you and me doing to stop the deaths of millions of children?
UNICEF is one organization that tries their best to do their part in saving the kids everywhere. This organization tries to help young kids live and have a healthy future. They give technical and financial support to educate and intervention programs on nutrition and health care to do this. They also care for woman caring these babies until they are born and still, they help out for four weeks after that. Another thing UNICEF does is to deliver and give vaccines so that people can be protected from diseases. UNICEF is doing their part to help.
UNICEF however is not the only organization doing their part. In North America, Chicago high school students are made aware of the UN’s goals by CASID (Center for advanced study of International Development). The leading independent organization making actual change that really lasts for kids who need help not only in the US, but around the globe. It is at MSU. CPAG is the Child Poverty Action Group in the UK that makes better deals for families not making much and kids. Young Child Survival and Development UNICEF works to comprehensive child health care. Plan USA is another organization that is kid-centered. It involves families plus their communities. Many organizations are working to make a difference.
Malaria is among the top five diseases responsible for child mortality in Africa. One of WHO’s strategies for reducing malaria is to promote, especially for kids and woman bearing children, insecticide-treated bed nets A vaccine for Malaria that helps give protection to children could be registered for use in less than five years, maybe saving many kids. April 25 is World Malaria Day from WHO to educate people about the disease. The Gates foundation awarded thirteen grants (about $200 million) to help fight the disease Malaria. These grants when to schools and organizations. The Gates also held a Malaria forum in October of 207 which consisted of health experts, policymakers, and scientists from around the globe.
Measles is another disease which plays a role in child mortality. It is a contagious disease and the third most common disease in Yemen. In 2007, a campaign was launched to immunize 1.4 million kids 9 months to 15 years old. Using a similar campaign in 2006 where 9.5 million kids were vaccinated against measles. This decreased mortality due to measles which was 5,000 deaths annually. In 2006, Bangladesh got support from UNICEF and WHO and had the world’s biggest measles eradication campaign in only twenty days where they gave vaccines to 33.5 million kids between nine months and ten years old. Over one million kids under age five were vaccinated to be protected against measles in 2006 under Comprehensive immunization campaign being led by the local Ministry of Health.
Maternal and neonatal tetanus is a disease responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of newborns annually. This disease was eliminated in Viet Nam by its ministry of health with support from WHO and UNICIEF. The vaccines given to pregnant woman lowered the number of people getting the disease. It was formally that about twenty thousand Vietnamese infants died from it. In 2005, less than one neonatal tetanus death per 1000 live births happened. Expanded Program on Immunization vaccinated pregnant woman since 1991. Over 700,00 females of child bearing age got vaccines to protect them against tetanus in 2006 under a comprehensive immunization campaign being led by their local Ministry of Health. UNICEF assisted in the training of female volunteers in Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan, and India to give out vaccines for polio and promote immunization for child and maternal tetanus. Reaching Every District in South Asia helps improve kid’s survival using diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine. Tetanus, though a deadly disease, can be prevented, and many people are taking the steps to do so. As you can see, throughout the world, organizations like UNICEF have been trying their best to lend a helping hand. There is also CASID, the gates foundation, WHO, Save the Children, CPAG, and Plan USA. People are working to find ways to decrease the number of people getting malaria. Campaigns have been launched to immunize people so they won’t get measles-another deadly disease. Tetanus a disease that people in Viet Nam have had success decreasing the numbers. However, the child mortality rate is still high especially in places like Sub-Sahara Africa. But if we all work together and all do our part, MDG 4, reduce by two-thirds child mortality, can be achieved.
