Child Mortality

“Children in Africa are about 16.5 times more likely to die before the age of five than children in developed countries.” (@AHO) 

“Today, sub-Saharan Africa alone accounts for almost 50 per cent of child mortality, although it constitutes only 11 per cent of the world population. If Millennium Development Goal 4 — reduce child mortality by two thirds — is to be achieved, Africa has the challenge of accelerating the narrowing of this gap.” (@UN) 

Common causes of death among children are: 

?pneumonia 

?preterm birth complications

?diarrhoea

?birth asphyxia

?malaria

?malnutrition

Interventions for child survival have the greatest impact when they target the community and household levels. ?

However, their coverage in many African countries is limited, and the health systems often allocate most human, material a

nd financial resources to facility-based, curative care. ?

How can child and infant mortality be reduced❓

✅improving coverage, quality and use of skilled care: “emergency obstetric care, essential newborn care and management of preterm, low birth weight and infection in the immediate post-partum period”

✅community newborn-care packages: “support for breastfeeding mothers, extra care for underweight babies, community-based management of pneumonia in neonates and treatment with oral antibiotic therapy” (@UN)