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March 13, 2002

“Health Experts Mull World’s Poor Kids”

Associated Press (www.ap.org) (03/12/02); Gamel, Kim

In meetings held this week in Stockholm, Sweden, experts from the World Health Organization and UNICEF reported that nearly 11 million children are lost each year to preventable diseases, including pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, measles, AIDS, and malnutrition.  Wealthy nations have the means and an obligation to extend health and well being resources to every child and adolescent in the world, according to UNICEF chief Carol Bellamy. The agencies noted that most of the diseases could be treated inexpensively—for instance, 600,000 measles deaths could be avoided with a vaccine that costs as little as 26 cents per dose. Methods suggested to reduce the number of child deaths include improved access to home treatment, insecticide-treated nets, healthier breast feeding and alternative infant feeding methods.

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