The need for Child Health Now
Currently, almost 9 million children die before their 5th birthday – many from preventable diseases like diarrhoea, pneumonia and malaria. Two thirds of these lives could easily be saved within 5 years.
Because it is known that the health of children is closely linked to the care and own health of mothers, addressing preventable child deaths means attending to maternal and child health together.
Although progress has been made in reducing child deaths - from over 10 million in 2006 to under 9 million in 2009 - more still needs to be done. But unfortunately, in many countries, there has been a lack of both the political will and the resources to improve maternal and child health.
It is crucial that maternal and child health become political priorities.
Child Health Now's focus
The campaign aims to ensure three main things. That:
- Mothers and children are well nourished.
- Mothers and children are protected from infection and disease.
- Mothers and children have access to essential healthcare.
There are five simple, inexpensive solutions than could save 6 million children every year. These solutions consist of:
- bed nets, to protect against mosquitoes and malaria infection;
- oral rehydration, most especially in areas where water quality and sanitation levels are poor;
- promoting exclusive breast-feeding, because babies who are not breastfed are 6 times more likely to die than those who are not;
- ensuring skilled attendants are present at births; and
- immunisation programs.
To deliver these solutions, both developed and developing countries must make greater investments.
Who Child Health Now helps
Over 80% of the deaths of children under 5 occur in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian nations.
Child Health Now is working directly with families and communities, to empower them to work with their governments to provide sustainable, accessible healthcare.
How you can get involved
By becoming a member of Child Health Now, you are joining the fight against one of the biggest human rights abuses our world faces.
What you will receive
When you join the Child Health Now campaign:
- we'll give you lots of tips and information to allow you to discover how your voice and actions can change the lives of the mothers and children in developing countries
- you'll be subscribed to Action News Online, World Vision’s advocacy enewsletter, giving you the latest updates on our campaigns, practical advocacy tips, film and book reviews
- we will offer regular suggestions for actions you can take - like signing a petition on a message sent to Australia’s decision makers - to help achieve the goals of the campaign.