Number of Children dying before their fifth birthday has declined by 57 percent since 1990

THE number of children in Zambia dying before their fifth birthday has declined by 57 percent since 1990, from 193 under-five deaths per 1,000 live births, to 83 in 2011.

World-wide, the number of children dying has nearly halved from 12 million in 1990 to 6.9 million in 2011.

This is according to new figures released by UNICEF which show that during the last two decades, the world has made huge strides in reducing child deaths through new vaccines, better health care, investments in education and strong commitments from governments.

Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, Joseph Katema said the report made news that Zambia should be proud of.

“The story of child survival in the past two decades is one of striking success and unfinished business. Country after country has shown that prioritising and investing in child survival and improving children’s early years mean fewer deaths, better lives and long-term benefits for societies as a whole,” Dr Katema said.

The release by UNICEF and its partners, however, states that despite this progress, about 150-200 Zambian children still die every day from preventable causes.

The report also indicates that South Asia and Sub Saharan Africa carry the highest burden of child mortality and further tells that children from poor rural areas are more likely to die before their fifth birthday than those in urban areas.

In realisation of this, Dr Katema said a concerted push is needed to ensure that all children, no matter where and to whom they are born, survive and thrive.

“The good news is that we collectively have the knowledge, tools, treatments, and technology to save millions of lives every year” he shared.

“We know that the biggest killers of young children here in Zambia are pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, HIV and AIDS, and neonatal conditions – all causes that can be prevented or diseases that can be treated at a relatively low cost.”

The report also shows that inexpensive solutions such as vaccines against measles, polio and mother-to-child transmission of HIV, oral-rehydration salts and zinc to treating diarrhoea and antibiotics for pneumonia, lie within reach.

In addition, UNICEF studies show that when women receive proper prenatal care, and have access to skilled birth attendants and to emergency obstetric care, the benefits for mothers and their babies are enormous.

“But let me emphasise this: Saving lives is not only about health interventions. Access to improved water and sanitation, hand washing with soap, exclusive breastfeeding, and better nutrition for mothers and babies is crucial if we want to prevent the needless deaths of countless women and children,” maintained Dr Katema.

“Education is another part of the equation. A child born to a woman who can read is much more likely to live past his or her fifth year birthday than one born to an illiterate mother. Every extra year of a mother’s schooling reduces the probability of an infant dying by up to 10 per cent.”

The message is unequivocal said Dr Katema, adding that child deaths could radically be reduced in Zambia and the world over.

He said sound strategies, scale-up of known and effective interventions, adequate resources and above all, political will were imperative.

Under the banner of Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed, UNICEF and partners are inviting governments, civil society, faith based organisations and private sector to unite around the clear and compelling goal: to give every last child the best possible start in life.

[Zambia Daily Mail]