UNICEF, in its latest report, says that though encouraging progress has been made to improve the lot of children the world over, much remains to be done. The world body has given its assessment with regard to the 2015 Millennium Development Goals decided by all the nations under the aegis of the United Nations in the year 2000.
In its sixth [the latest] Progress for Children report, UNICEF says the top child killers are aids, pneumonia and pregnancy deaths and adds that these areas will have to be the focus in the future.
The good news is that infant mortality is at a record low level ever. This could be achieved because of immunization and anti-malarial measures. Major improvements in measles immunization, breastfeeding rates, malaria prevention and supplements of vitamin A means the child today is better protected from common illnesses.
Also breast feeding is on the increase, which is something to cheer about as breast feeding alone is capable of cutting infant mortality by 13%. Better access to aids drugs has meant that mother and child are better protected from the scourge.
Improvements in education, gender equality and child protection are more good news.
But there is much cause for alarm. Under nutrition is still rampant amongst children, about 143 million of them are starving. Half of these hungry children are in South Asia.
Also treatment of pneumonia and malaria, which are the commonest children diseases, is still insufficient. Moreover half a million women still die every year [mostly in Africa] during pregnancy and childbirth. And of course aids is still the perennial danger for a child’s life.
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In its sixth [the latest] Progress for Children report, UNICEF says the top child killers are aids, pneumonia and pregnancy deaths and adds that these areas will have to be the focus in the future.
The good news is that infant mortality is at a record low level ever. This could be achieved because of immunization and anti-malarial measures. Major improvements in measles immunization, breastfeeding rates, malaria prevention and supplements of vitamin A means the child today is better protected from common illnesses.
Also breast feeding is on the increase, which is something to cheer about as breast feeding alone is capable of cutting infant mortality by 13%. Better access to aids drugs has meant that mother and child are better protected from the scourge.
Improvements in education, gender equality and child protection are more good news.
But there is much cause for alarm. Under nutrition is still rampant amongst children, about 143 million of them are starving. Half of these hungry children are in South Asia.
Also treatment of pneumonia and malaria, which are the commonest children diseases, is still insufficient. Moreover half a million women still die every year [mostly in Africa] during pregnancy and childbirth. And of course aids is still the perennial danger for a child’s life.
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