The well-being of children is essential and has been substantially enhanced over the past few decades. The mortality rate of children under five years old has been reduced by 50% from 2000 to 2017, and a greater number of mothers and children are surviving presently. Nonetheless, there is still a lot of work to be done to further improve children’s health outcomes. A double mandate exists where over half of child deaths can be avoided if they receive better healthcare and quality of life. Furthermore, children require a stable environment to thrive, including access to education, protection from danger, and good health and nutrition. It is crucial to invest in children to create a better future for society.
Causes
Children’s chances of survival vary widely around the world, with low- and middle-income countries disproportionately affected by vast disparities. In Sub-Saharan Africa, the child mortality rate is the highest in the world and can be up to 15 times higher than in high-income countries. Common causes of death include respiratory infections, diarrhoeal diseases, measles, malaria, malnutrition and newborn conditions. Although many deaths can be prevented through vaccination, access to healthcare services, proper home care, better nutrition and breastfeeding, these interventions are often beyond the reach of the poorest populations.
In addition to survival, children’s health, growth and development are closely linked. In 2016, an estimated 250 million children failed to achieve their full physical or psychological development, representing 43% of all children. Violence against children is also prevalent, with up to 1 billion children affected by abuse or neglect in 2019.
WHO Response
WHO collaborates with its partners and Member States to enhance the lives of all children and attain Sustainable Development Goal 3, which aims to put an end to avoidable deaths of newborns and children under the age of five by 2030. If all nations accomplish this objective, more than 11 million lives will be saved, with more than half of them in sub-Saharan Africa.
WHO advocates for health equity through the attainment of universal health coverage (UHC) and the provision of vaccines globally to help prevent some of the most life-threatening childhood illnesses. It also encourages infant and young child feeding, emphasizing exclusive breastfeeding for infants. WHO has established and advocates for an integrated approach to managing childhood illnesses, which considers all aspects of a child’s health, and a continuum of care during the early years to protect their developmental outcomes, including lowering risk factors for diseases that may arise later in life.
These targets are the outcome of a partnership between many WHO departments and are coordinated through the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health, and Ageing.
