|
The Problem: Child Survival
Child Survival - A Driving Force For MI 's
Programming
Every year close to eleven million children in developing nations
die needlessly from preventable illnesses. More than half of these deaths are
associated with malnutrition. Children from these regions who are deficient in
vitamin A or zinc are about 20% more likely to die from conditions such as
measles and diarrhea. The highest proportions of deaths attributable to vitamin
and mineral deficiency are in sub-Saharan Africa , south Asia and some regions
of Latin America.
In sub-Saharan Africa alone, more than 200 million people are
malnourished, as food security remains a significant concern. Conflict,
HIV/AIDS, debt and poor and inequitable access to health services all
contribute to the high levels of disease and malnutrition. Together, they work
to compound regional and national efforts to control malnutrition and improve
child survival.
Since 1998, MI has put its largest effort to ensure that as many
vulnerable children as possible are better protected against disease with two
annual doses of high strength vitamin A supplements.
Providing two doses - six months apart - of vitamin A supplements
to children has long been recognized as a highly cost-effective way of reducing
child deaths by over 20% in countries where children are most at risk.
This year MI supported the twice-yearly distribution of vitamin A
supplements to children aged between 6 months and five years in countries with
high rates of child mortality and vitamin A deficiency in two ways:
- Global supply of vitamin A supplements that were then
distributed through the good offices of UNICEF and,
- Technical support to improve delivery in some of the countries
that are home to the largest numbers of children at risk.
The outcomes described below are the result of teamwork by many
actors as well as MI , particularly:
- National governments, and the primary health care presonnel
and community volunteers across many countries
- UNICEF and other agencies involved in reducing malnutrition
and improving child survival - particularly the World Health Organization,
Helen Keller International, and the United States Agency for International
Development.
- The Program Against Hunger Malnutrition and Disease of the
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Global Advocacy
We continued to make use of the VMD Global Progress Report and the
associated tools to build and sustain momentum at global and national levels
for action against vitamin and mineral deficiency. These advocacy tools are
becoming standard tools for raising the awareness of senior personnel in
government, industry, media and professional associations of the scope of the
VMD problem and the actions required to control it. The information, data and
concepts are increasingly being used as inputs to national and sector-specific
strategies and programs.
Most recently, we used VMD Report data, along with data from the
Copenhagen Consensus and from additional analyses undertaken by MI Africa and
Ottawa to successfully position key points on micronutrients within the
recently released Commission for Africa Report. At the national level, the
Damage Assessment Reports are being used to support the development of national
strategies: Pakistan 's National Plan of Action for the Control of
Micronutrient Malnutrition being a case in point.
A significant development has been the opportunity to work closely
with two sections within the NEPAD Secretariat (Agriculture and Health) in
developing and promoting a NEPAD / African Union nutrition and micronutrient
strategy. This strategy will influence both Africa-wide policy positions and
funding flows from major donors over the coming months. |
