Inequality has transformed surviving childhood into a global postcode lottery
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Version 0 of 1. You may already know the grim statistics: every day, 17,000 children under the age of five die; nearly half of them are newborn babies. Almost all these deaths – which occur in just a handful of countries – could be prevented. The inequalities between countries are stark. A child born in Angola is 84 times more likely to die before the age of five than a child born in Luxembourg. Related: What are the millennium development goals on child mortality and maternal health all about? Contrary to what you might think, this is not just an issue in poor countries. It applies to poor communities everywhere, including those in some of the richest countries. Every child’s life is precious. But right now, a child’s chance of survival is determined almost entirely by luck: where he or she is born, the income and education level of the parents, and other social and environmental factors that have a direct impact on health. This means that despite the progress achieved, we have failed to reach the ones who need it the most – the poorest, the most disadvantaged, the most vulnerable. It is inexcusable that so many children die because they miss out on basic, cost-effective health services. So what do we need to fill this equity gap? We must bridge the gaps created by inequality and create conditions for a healthy, sustainable future for every child I was recently in New York, where the UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon convened world leaders to commit to a strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health. Ban brings strong global leadership to this approach, which looks to save lives through a focus on equity and human rights, and will serve as a platform for implementing the sustainable development goals, which will be adopted at the UN general assembly in New York in September. As we move beyond the era of the millennium development goals, we, the global community, must seize the opportunity to work together. The gaps created by inequality must be bridged, and the conditions created for a healthy, sustainable future for every infant, child and person, regardless of where they live. We need action at the highest level, with commitments and resources to back it up. Let’s not forget that action does not only rely on political commitment or the availability of medical knowhow. It must be founded on a recognition that our newborns and young children are not mere recipients of care, but are “rights holders” of their own, with legal entitlements to survival and the highest possible standards of health and care. Both in law and in practice. For all children. Without discrimination. Dr Flavia Bustreo is assistant director general for family, women’s and children’s health at the World Health Organisation. |