One child out of 11 dies before age of five: Report

Provincial govts must provide support for health workers, says Save the Children.

ISLAMABAD:

One child out of 11 dies before the age of five in Pakistan and half a million die every year because of preventable causes, according to a Save the Children report. The report, ‘No child out of reach’, emphasised the importance of addressing infant mortality rates through the health care system.

According to the report, the World Health Organisation has proclaimed that a minimum of 23 health workers per 10,000 people are required to deliver basic health services. The report suggested an increase in the number of lady health workers (LHW) from 100,000 to 130,000 as well as an increase in the number of community midwives from 12,000 to 24,000. It also said that it was vital to identify areas with limited access to LHWs.

Localising health management

Community-based initiatives for addressing preventable causes of deaths of mothers, infants and children were also emphasised in the report, with the extension of such initiatives to the administration of vaccines, assessment and response to malnutrition and family planning.

Provincial governments were the focus of ‘No child out of reach’, which should prioritise the training and deployment of health workers and ensure that nutrition is given priority.

Some hope in sight

Pakistan has achieved some progress in reducing its maternal and infant mortality rates in recent years according to the report, but further efforts are essential to resolve the issue. For instance, the current maternal mortality rate in Pakistan is 276 deaths per 100,000 live births, a piece of statistics that can be attacked and changed for the better.

David Wright, Pakistan’s Country Director for Save the Children said, “It is simply not acceptable for a child in Pakistan, or anywhere else in the world, to die because a midwife or a lady health visitor is out of reach. Training health workers is simple and inexpensive, yet their impact is immeasurable.” He added that hundreds of children’s lives could be saved by vaccinations a health worker administers, or by the skilled help they can give to pregnant women.

“We have the power to ensure that all children, regardless of where they are born, are able to see a health worker when they need it the most.” The report highlights how progress is possible with political will and investment. It also states that a child is five times more likely to survive their fifth year if they live in a country with enough midwives, nurses and doctors.



Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2011.