Report: India Can Prevent Child Deaths With Simple Precautions

November 18, 2009 9:22 a.m. EST

New Delhi, India (AHN) - A new report on child health says that much of the child deaths in India are preventable. The report, released by the NGO, World Vision is called "Child Health Now - Together We Can End Preventable Deaths."

The report, which was launched on Monday urges governments to "bolster family and community health interventions, some of which cost as little as Rs.15 (30 cents)."

According to the report, all that is needed are some simple health measures to keep children safe like "basic vaccinations, oral rehydration sachets for children with diarrhea, and vitamin and micronutrient supplements to boost immunity and growth."

The report also advises exclusive breast-feeding of the child for the first six months to boost immunity.

"This is more than just a problem facing the developing world. It's a 'silent' emergency. And it is, I believe, the greatest child rights violation of our time," said Kevin Jenkins, World Vision International President at the release of the report.

He added, "It is politics, not poverty that is killing these children. The politicians have made many promises, but the truth is that saving mothers and children from death is simply not a priority."

Speaking at the launch of the Global Child Health Campaign in New York, Jayakumar Christian, National Director of World Vision India said that India is one of the countries that is highly unlikely to meet the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. "India spends only 1.04 percent of GDP on health, which is 2.2 percent of the country's total budgetary expenditure," Christian said.

"In World Vision's work with children in drought affected Rajasthan to the flood affected Karnataka, we see these invisible citizens of our nation on the verge of extreme vulnerability being exposed to hunger, under nutrition and water borne diseases. But we've also seen through our work with over 5000 poor communities across the country that progress is possible: But much more must be done by the government to meet their promise to cut child and mothers deaths by 2015," Christian added.

Anna Motupalli, from World Vision India told AHN, "In India the government has taken many steps but these have not been well implemented. Child deaths are reported more from rural areas in India where the basic awareness is really less. For example, many children die from diarrhea just because the family members do not know the simple procedure of replenishing the water that is lost from the body through oral rehydration. Creating awareness is of utmost importance."