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Global study finds newborns struggle to survive
Source: Agencies |
August 31, 2011, Wednesday
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FEWER newborn babies are dying worldwide, but progress is too slow and Africa is being left behind, said a global study led by the World Health Organization.
While investment over the last decade in health care for women and children has paid off in rapid declines in maternal death rates and deaths of children under five, improvement in the survival of babies in their first four weeks of life has been slower.
"Newborn survival is being left behind despite well-documented, cost-effective solutions to prevent these deaths," said Flavia Bustreo, a WHO expert in family, women's and children's health who worked on the study.
According to the findings, newborn deaths decreased overall from 4.6 million in 1990 to 3.3 million in 2009, but began falling slightly faster from 2000 to 2009.
Deaths of babies in their first four weeks of life now account for 41 percent of all child deaths before the age of five, a share which has grown from 37 percent in 1990 and is likely to increase further, the researchers said.
Yet the three leading causes of newborn death -- preterm delivery, asphyxia and severe infections -- are all relatively easily preventable with proper care.
While investment over the last decade in health care for women and children has paid off in rapid declines in maternal death rates and deaths of children under five, improvement in the survival of babies in their first four weeks of life has been slower.
"Newborn survival is being left behind despite well-documented, cost-effective solutions to prevent these deaths," said Flavia Bustreo, a WHO expert in family, women's and children's health who worked on the study.
According to the findings, newborn deaths decreased overall from 4.6 million in 1990 to 3.3 million in 2009, but began falling slightly faster from 2000 to 2009.
Deaths of babies in their first four weeks of life now account for 41 percent of all child deaths before the age of five, a share which has grown from 37 percent in 1990 and is likely to increase further, the researchers said.
Yet the three leading causes of newborn death -- preterm delivery, asphyxia and severe infections -- are all relatively easily preventable with proper care.
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