The child survival gap within and between countries can be narrowed ifproven and cost-effective interventions for pneumonia and diarrhoea arescaled up to reach the most disadvantaged children, according to a newreport from UNICEF.
The report, Pneumonia and diarrhoea:Tackling the deadliest diseases for the world's poorest children,focuses on the two diseases as two primary killers of children under theage of five.
"Scaling up simple interventions couldovercome two of the biggest obstacles to increasing child survival, helpgive every child a fair chance to grow and thrive," said AnthonyLake , UNICEF Executive Director.
In Vietnam , as manyas 7 percent of children under five had diarrhoea in the past twoweeks. More than a half of the children with diarrhoea received oralre-hydration salts (ORS), and 70 percent received ORS or homemadetreatment.
Meanwhile, over 3 percent of children age 0-59months were reported to have had symptoms of pneumonia during the lasttwo weeks. Of these children, 73 percent were taken to an appropriatehealthcare provider, and 68 percent received antibiotics for suspectedpneumonia.
A simple and effective way to safeguard babiesfrom disease is exclusive breastfeeding. Yet less than one in fiveinfants younger than six months of age in the country are exclusivelybreastfed, depriving them of this critical protection.
Limited access to decent sanitation also continues to put millions ofchildren at risk of contracting diarrhoea diseases. In Vietnam , anestimated 6.5 percent of the population resort to open defecation andclose to half of the population in rural areas do not use sanitationfacilities.
In addition, only 70 percent of pooresthouseholds in Vietnam have a handwashing place where water and soapis available in their home, while close to 98 percent of the richesthouseholds have a handwashing place available.
"Childdeaths from pneumonia and diarrhoea can be significantly reduced bytackling these problems and focusing efforts on the poorestcommunities," said Lotta Sylwander, UNICEF Vietnam Representative.
"Through this, the tremendous progress in reducing the number of childdeaths each year in Vietnam can be accelerated, saving even morelives."
Luu Thi My Thuc, a doctor at the National Hospitalof Paediatrics, said changeable weather recently made childrensuffering from respiratory diseases increased.
On peak days, each doctor must examine nearly 100 children per day whereas on normal days he/she examine about 20 only.
"Parents let their children stay in rooms with air conditioners thusthe children cannot adapt to hot weather when they get out of therooms," she said.
As many as 80 percent of children having examines for respiratory diseases must be hospitalised for pneumonia.
The country's mortality rates among children under five decreaseddramatically from 51 per 1,000 births in 1990 to 23 per 1,000 births in2010. Pneumonia and diarrhea was accounted for 12 percent and 10 percentof the under-5 deaths, respectively.-VNA
The report, Pneumonia and diarrhoea:Tackling the deadliest diseases for the world's poorest children,focuses on the two diseases as two primary killers of children under theage of five.
"Scaling up simple interventions couldovercome two of the biggest obstacles to increasing child survival, helpgive every child a fair chance to grow and thrive," said AnthonyLake , UNICEF Executive Director.
In Vietnam , as manyas 7 percent of children under five had diarrhoea in the past twoweeks. More than a half of the children with diarrhoea received oralre-hydration salts (ORS), and 70 percent received ORS or homemadetreatment.
Meanwhile, over 3 percent of children age 0-59months were reported to have had symptoms of pneumonia during the lasttwo weeks. Of these children, 73 percent were taken to an appropriatehealthcare provider, and 68 percent received antibiotics for suspectedpneumonia.
A simple and effective way to safeguard babiesfrom disease is exclusive breastfeeding. Yet less than one in fiveinfants younger than six months of age in the country are exclusivelybreastfed, depriving them of this critical protection.
Limited access to decent sanitation also continues to put millions ofchildren at risk of contracting diarrhoea diseases. In Vietnam , anestimated 6.5 percent of the population resort to open defecation andclose to half of the population in rural areas do not use sanitationfacilities.
In addition, only 70 percent of pooresthouseholds in Vietnam have a handwashing place where water and soapis available in their home, while close to 98 percent of the richesthouseholds have a handwashing place available.
"Childdeaths from pneumonia and diarrhoea can be significantly reduced bytackling these problems and focusing efforts on the poorestcommunities," said Lotta Sylwander, UNICEF Vietnam Representative.
"Through this, the tremendous progress in reducing the number of childdeaths each year in Vietnam can be accelerated, saving even morelives."
Luu Thi My Thuc, a doctor at the National Hospitalof Paediatrics, said changeable weather recently made childrensuffering from respiratory diseases increased.
On peak days, each doctor must examine nearly 100 children per day whereas on normal days he/she examine about 20 only.
"Parents let their children stay in rooms with air conditioners thusthe children cannot adapt to hot weather when they get out of therooms," she said.
As many as 80 percent of children having examines for respiratory diseases must be hospitalised for pneumonia.
The country's mortality rates among children under five decreaseddramatically from 51 per 1,000 births in 1990 to 23 per 1,000 births in2010. Pneumonia and diarrhea was accounted for 12 percent and 10 percentof the under-5 deaths, respectively.-VNA
