Mesfin Loha
16 November 2009
opinion
Nairobi — Nearly nine million children die of preventable diseases every year before their fifth birthday. Half of these deaths occur in Africa.
In Zambia, 16-month-old Baby Richard Kapembwa may be hurt when he grows up to discover he lost his twin brother Roderick to diarrhoea, a disease that could have easily been treated if drugs were available at a local clinic.
Twenty-four hours from now, more than 24,000 additional babies will have died of diarrhoea and other causes such as pneumonia, childbirth complications and malaria. Again, half of them in Africa.
This is unacceptable. On November 16, international humanitarian and development organisation, World Vision is launching a global campaign under the banner "Child Health Now."
The five-year campaign is intended to highlight the health needs of children and mothers and calls for action from governments, organisations, communities and individuals.
By committing $1.5 billion over a five-year period, the organisation intends to contribute towards ensuring that child deaths are reduced by at least six million globally.
Child mortality, although decreasing in some parts of the world, is still very high, largely due to lack of commitment by those holding the power to make a difference.
On the other hand, there is significant child health improvement in countries that have matched talk with action -- for example, Malawi and Southern Africa.
Similar successes will be only achieved where governments, organisations, communities and individuals work together to ensure that there is commitment to following through on decisions made and proper use of resources earmarked for children's health.
To date, the political will to prioritise and properly allocate resources for child health is not evident.
How else can one explain the fact that despite a long list of international and national policies signed by governments to guarantee children the right to good health and life, millions are still dying every year?
African countries' over-reliance on donor resources to fund development and health initiatives is a key concern.
Under the Abuja Declaration adopted in 2001 by the African Union, countries on the continent committed themselves to applying their own resources to the promotion of health. It is important for them to keep their promises.
As countries step up efforts to reduce child mortality, it is essential that government expenditure adequately reflects the health needs of children.
All African governments should endeavour to achieve or surpass the call of the Abuja Declaration for every government to lift health funding to at least 15 per cent of their national budgets. In Kenya, the national budget allocation to the health sector is about 7.2 per cent.
Child mortality is largely attributable to poor nutrition, which accounts for more than half of the deaths of children under the age of five in Africa.
Nutritious feeding is central to growth, development and survival of children.
The lack of appropriate medical facilities, poor maternal health and lack of women's empowerment also contribute to high rates of child mortality.
It is essential to empower communities so that they have access to nutritious food, sanitation, water, hygiene, basic education and other facilities to ensure children's health and reduce child mortality.
Addressing child mortality should be at the centre of every government, organisation, community and individual's plan if nations are to register sustained development and ensure a better future for humanity.
Evidence gathered by World Vision shows the importance of focusing on local and community levels.
Millions of children can be saved through simple and cheap community based interventions such as more skilled birth attendants, improved nutrition, exclusive breast-feeding, bednets and oral rehydration salts.
Dr Mesfin Loha is the Africa Health, HIV and Aids Director, World Vision International.
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