In the United States, a child’s birth is usually a glorious occasion.
But for every baby born here each year, one dies in the developing world before they turn a month old, according to a report released by Save the Children. In many developing countries, the first day of life can be the most dangerous for a child. Every year, 2 million newborns die before they’re 24 hours old, and another 2 million die before they turn 1 month old, the report says.
And, according to another recent report from UNICEF, poor nutrition is responsible for half of all child deaths across the globe – about 5.6 million deaths each year. One-quarter of the children, about 146 million, in developing countries aren’t getting the food they need to survive.
It’s sobering news, especially on a day to celebrate motherhood and children. But the two reports also suggest solutions, simple, affordable ones.
In some regions, it can be as easy as providing contraceptives to “help mothers prevent births too early, too closely spaced, or too late,” said Anne Tinker of Save the Children. There are “low-cost, low-tech solutions” available, she said, such as immunizations, antibiotics and skilled attendants at childbirth, if only the governments in these countries choose to invest in them. (The United States, it should be noted, has one of the lowest survival rates for infants among developed nations because of a lack of health care for some Americans, particularly blacks, according to the report.)
Meanwhile, UNICEF says simple measures such as providing vitamin A capsules and fortifying food with iron and iodine can make a huge difference for undernourished children.
The U.S. government can follow the lead of private groups, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and help subsidize some of these programs. But too often people fail to even care for their own. As Tinker points out, commitment from the political leaders of these troubled countries could provide “low-cost measures [that] can save the lives of millions of newborn babies.”
Our goal should be making happy Mother’s Days happy for more women – regardless of their country.
