Child mortality target: Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate
Mothers and children arrive at the first of six primary health clinics to be set up by World Vision in the Otash Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp, South Darfur. This clinic opened on August 21st 2007, and provides basic but life-saving health care to patients. Credit: Kevin Cook/World Vision
When a young child from a richer country contracts a treatable illness such as measles or diarrhoea, it is not a huge cause for concern for the family, and is certainly not a reason to fear for the child’s life.
In poorer areas of the world, however, these two illnesses are amongst the biggest killers of children. Although recent progress has been made in many countries, this year alone, 9.7 million children living in the developing world will lose their lives as a result of preventable diseases like diarrhoea, measles and HIV. In some countries, such as Sierra Leone, the child mortality rate is so high that one in four children do not live to see their fifth birthday. Imagine the headlines in this country if a quarter of all children under five died every year!
This statistic is not just a sad, inevitable fact of life, but a tragic mis-management of the world’s resources and priorities. For example, it would cost $1.3 billion to immunise every child in the world, and yet we spend eighteen times this amount on make-up every year!
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 aims to combat this glaring injustice by reducing child mortality by two thirds by 2015. In order to achieve this, more funds need to be dedicated to strengthening health care facilities in poor communities around the world. This would ensure access to affordable treatment for children, as well as life-saving HIV prevention care to stop babies contracting this deadly virus at birth.
July’s G8 meeting presents us with an exciting opportunity to urge G8 leaders to dedicate 10% of international aid to improving the health care of poorer countries. You can help make this happen today by adding your voice to a world-wide campaigning action which will be presented to the G8 in July.
Discover why July’s G8 Summit presents an exciting opportunity to bring hope to millions of children
Father God,
We thank and praise you for the recent progress made in reducing child mortality in some of the poorest countries in the world. We come before you now, concerned that there are still many children dying from illnesses such as measles and diarrhoea, which could so easily be prevented.
Please comfort parents who have lost their little ones through disease, and grant wisdom and skill to those who are working amongst vulnerable children to relieve their pain and distress.
Would you soften the hearts of the G8 leaders, leading them to a genuine commitment in July’s Summit to increase levels of aid to meet the basic health care needs of children in developing countries.
We also long for you to change the hearts of those in other governments, especially those where child mortality rates are high. Help them recognise their role in the global efforts to make the world a safer and healthier place for all children.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen
There is still time to influence July’s G8 Summit!
The Summit will take place in Toyako, at the time of the Japanese Tanabata Festival. Traditionally, this would be a time for people to write down their wishes and tie them to a bamboo tree.
This year, organisations across the world are taking part in this tradition and presenting their requests to the G8, united through Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP).
Add your wish to this virtual tree today by joining World Vision’s message which urges the G8 to take action on child health.
Motivate your friends to speak out against the injustice of poor child health care with this short video:
Help your friends to make a difference – invite them to join you in Taking Five
