Children’s health: global programs and initiatives

Children’s health: global programs and initiatives

I. The effect of global burden of diseases on children’s health

The health of children around the world remains a serious problem, despite the significant progress achieved in recent decades. The global burden of diseases (GBD) is a comprehensive and systematic assessment of mortality and disability from the underlying diseases, injuries and risk factors by age, floor and location. The GBD analysis emphasizes the scale of the problems that children face and reveals priority areas for intervention.

A. The main causes of children’s mortality

Children’s mortality, defined as mortality of children under the age of five, is one of the most important indicators of public health and economic development. Although the global indicator of children’s mortality has significantly decreased, there are still significant differences between countries and regions.

1. Infectious diseases: Infectious diseases, such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and measles, are still the main causes of children’s mortality, especially in countries with low and medium income (SNCD). Inadequate sanitary conditions, lack of access to pure water and unsanitary conditions aggravate the spread of these diseases.

   a. Pneumonia: Pneumonia, inflammation of the lungs, is the leading cause of children’s mortality around the world. Bacterial, viral and fungal infections can cause pneumonia. Risk factors include malnutrition, pollution of indoors and lack of breastfeeding.

   b. Diarrhea: Diate diseases, often caused by bacterial, viral or parasitic infections, lead to dehydration and malnutrition, which is especially dangerous for children. Inadequate sanitary conditions and the lack of access to clean water are the main risk factors.

   c. Malaria: Malaria, transmitted by mosquitoes, a parasitic infection, is a serious problem for the health of children in Africa south of Sahara. The disease can lead to severe anemia, cerebral malaria and death.

   d. Measles: Measles, extremely contagious viral disease, can cause severe complications, such as pneumonia, encephalitis and death, especially in children with vitamin A. deficiency

2. Perinatal conditions: The perinatal conditions that occur during pregnancy, childbirth or during the first month of life are a significant burden of children’s mortality. These include premature birth, asphyxia at birth, neonatal sepsis and congenital defects.

   a. Premature birth: Premature birth, defined as childbirth up to 37 weeks of pregnancy, are associated with an increased risk of complications, such as respiratory distress syndrome, intravenous hemorrhage and necrotic enterocolitis.

   b. Asphyxia at birth: Asphyxia at birth, a condition where a child does not receive enough oxygen during childbirth can lead to damage to the brain and death.

   c. Neonatal sepsis: Neonatal sepsis, blood infection in newborns, is a serious disease that can quickly lead to death.

   d. Congenital defects: Congenital defects, structural or functional abnormalities present at birth can cause disability and death.

3. Malnutrition: Non -meanness, including nutritional failure, excess nutrition and an imbalance of trace elements, undermines the immune system of children, making them more susceptible to infections and delaying physical and mental development.

   a. Nutrition: Nutrition failure, lack of energy and nutrients, manifests itself in the form of exhaustion (low weight for growth), growth retardation (low growth for age) and insufficient body weight (low weight for age).

   b. Microelements deficiency: The deficiency of trace elements, such as vitamin A, iron and iodine, can have serious consequences for the health and development of children. Vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of infections, blindness and death. Iron deficiency leads to anemia, fatigue and impaired cognitive functions. Iodine deficiency causes goiter and mental backwardness.

4. Injuries: Unintentional and deliberate injuries, such as traffic accidents, drowning, falls and violence, are an important cause of child mortality and disability.

   a. Traffic accidents: Transport incidents are one of the main causes of death among children around the world, especially in the SNSD.

   b. Drowning: Drinking is a serious problem, especially for children under the age of five years.

   c. Falls: Falls are a common cause of injuries among children.

   d. Violence: Violence, including physical, sexual and emotional violence, can have serious consequences for the physical and mental health of children.

B. Factors affecting children’s health

Various factors influence children’s health, including:

1. Socio-economic factors: Poverty, lack of education and inequality in income negatively affect the health of children. Children from low -income families are more likely to face malnutrition, lack of access to clean water and sanitation, as well as inadequate medical care.

2. Environment: Air pollution, water pollution and climate change pose a serious threat to children’s health. The air pollution indoors from cooking on solid fuel increases the risk of respiratory infections. Water pollution spreads diarrhea diseases. Climate change leads to extreme weather phenomena, such as droughts and floods that can undermine food security and increase the risk of diseases.

3. Cultural factors: Cultural beliefs and customs can affect the practice of children care, nutrition and seeking medical help. Some cultural practices can be harmful to children’s health, for example, early marriages and female circumcision.

4. Health systems: Access to high -quality medical care, including routine care, obstetric care of qualified personnel, immunization and treatment of diseases, is important for improving children’s health. However, many children in the SNSD do not have access to these necessary services.

II. Global programs and initiatives to improve children’s health

Various global programs and initiatives are aimed at solving problems related to children’s health and improving their well -being.

A. Initiatives of the United Nations (UN)

The UN plays an important role in promoting the health of children around the world. Several UN agencies, including UNICEF, WHO and Yunfp, are working to improve children’s health through programs, research and advice.

1. UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF): UNICEF is a leading organization working in the interests of children around the world. UNICEF is working on protecting the rights of children, ensuring their survival and development, as well as the expansion of their capabilities to achieve their full potential. UNICEF programs are aimed at solving a wide range of problems related to children’s health, including immunization, nutrition, mother and child’s health, HIV/AIDS and education.

   a. Global Immunization Program (GPI): GPI, led by UNICEF and WHO, is aimed at expanding the coverage of immunization and protecting children from preventive diseases preventive. GPI played an important role in reducing incidence and mortality from diseases such as polio, measles and tetanus.

   b. Unisef power program: The Unisef power program is aimed at solving the problem of malnutrition in children through various strategies, including promotion of breastfeeding, additional nutrition and treatment of acute nutrition insufficiency.

   c. Health and Child Health Program UNICEF: The Unisef mother’s health program is aimed at improving the health of pregnant women, women in labor and newborns. The program provides support for antenatal care, obstetric care of qualified personnel and postpartum care.

2. World Health Organization (WHO): WHO is a governing and coordinating body in the field of healthcare in the United Nations system. WHO is working on improving children’s health through various strategies, including the development of the leaderships based on actual data, providing technical assistance to countries and monitoring of healthcare trends.

   a. Strategy for the complex conduct of childhood diseases (KVBD): KVBD is an approach developed by WHO and UNICEF to reduce child mortality from the underlying diseases. The KVBD is aimed at improving the skills of medical workers to conduct common childhood diseases and strengthen health systems.

   b. WHO program on the protection of the health of the mother and child: The WHO program on the protection of the health of the mother and the child is aimed at improving the health of pregnant women, women in labor and newborns. The program provides support for antenatal care, obstetric care of qualified personnel and postpartum care.

3. UN Foundation in the field of population (Yunfpa): Yunfpa is working to ensure universal access to the services for the protection of sexual and reproductive health, including family planning, antenatal care and obstetric care of qualified personnel. Improving the health of mothers directly affects the health of children.

B. Global partnerships and funds

Several global partnerships and funds play an important role in mobilizing resources and supporting programs aimed at improving children’s health.

1. Global Fund for the fight against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria: The global fund is a partnership designed to speed up the cessation of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The global fund provides financing for programs aimed at preventing, treatment and care in connection with these diseases that seriously affect children’s health.

2. Gavi, Vaccine Alliance: Gavi is a global partnership aimed at expanding access to immunization in the SNSD. Gavi provides financing to countries for the purchase of vaccines and strengthening immunization systems.

3. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the world’s largest charitable foundation. The fund provides financing for programs aimed at improving the health and development of people around the world, including children’s health. The fund supports the research, development and distribution of new vaccines, drugs and other means of intervention to improve children’s health.

C. Initiatives of national governments

National governments play a decisive role in improving children’s health in their countries. They are responsible for the development and implementation of policies and programs aimed at solving problems related to children’s health.

1. National Immunization Programs: National immunization programs are aimed at ensuring that all children are vaccinated against preventive diseases preventive. These programs, as a rule, provide free immunization in state medical institutions.

2. Power programs: National food programs are aimed at solving the problem of malnutrition in children. These programs may include additional nutrition, food enrichment and food in the field of nutrition.

3. Health programs for mother and child: National health care programs for mother and child are aimed at improving the health of pregnant women, women in labor and newborn. These programs can be provided with routine care, obstetric care of qualified personnel and postpartum care.

4. Diseases fighting programs: National control programs are aimed at the prevention and treatment of the underlying diseases that affect children’s health, such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and HIV/AIDS.

III. Specific programs and their influence

In order to better understand the impact of global initiatives, it is necessary to consider specific programs and their results.

A. Global initiative to eliminate polio (GPEI)

GPEI, led by a WHO, UNICEF, ROTARY International and CDC, is an ambitious attempt to eradicate polio all over the world. Poliomyelitis is an extremely contagious viral disease that can cause paralysis and death, mainly in children. Thanks to the large -scale campaigns of GPEI immunization, it has achieved significant progress in reducing the incidence of polio by more than 99% since 1988. Despite this progress, polio remains endemic in several countries, and constant efforts are required to achieve complete elimination.

B. Extended immunization program (at) and the fight against measles and rubella

The program of expanded immunization (for), implemented in many countries, and efforts to combat measles and rubella, often integrated into national immunization programs, played an important role in reducing children’s mortality and incidence. Curity and rubella are extremely contagious viral diseases that can cause severe complications, especially in children. Due to the wide coverage of vaccination, the incidence of these diseases has significantly decreased, which prevented millions of deaths and cases of disability.

C. The deployment of nets treated with insecticides (ZIOs) to combat malaria

The deployment of SIOI is a key strategy for the fight against malaria, especially in Africa south of Sahara. SIOs provide a physical barrier between people and mosquitoes that transmit malaria and scare away and kill mosquitoes with insecticides. The widespread use of Sioi has led to a significant decrease in incidence and mortality from malaria, especially in children.

D. Treatment of acute nutrition (ONP)

ONP treatment is a vital intervention for children with severe exhaustion. Treatment of ONP usually includes the use of finished therapeutic foods (RUTF), which is high -calorie and rich in nutrients by paste, which can be introduced at home without the need for hospitalization. RUTF has proved its high efficiency in the treatment of ONP and a decrease in child mortality.

E. Vitamin A additives

Vitamin A additives are inexpensive and effective intervention to reduce childhood incidence and mortality. Vitamin A deficiency undermines the immune system and increases the risk of infections, blindness and death. The regular introduction of vitamin A, especially in regions where vitamin A deficiency is common, can significantly improve their health and survival.

IV. Problems and opportunities

Despite significant progress, serious problems still remain in the health of children around the world.

A. Problems

1. Inequality: Inequality in income, education and access to medical care remains a serious obstacle to improving children’s health. Children from low -income families and rural areas, as a rule, are faced with greater incidence and mortality.

2. Weak health systems: Weak healthcare systems in many SNSDs make it difficult to provide quality services for children’s health. Lack of qualified medical workers, a lack of medical equipment and drugs, as well as inadequate infrastructure weaken the healthcare systems.

3. Conflicts and instability: Conflicts and instability undermine healthcare systems, lead to the movement of the population and increase the risk of malnutrition and diseases.

4. Change climate: Climate change is a serious threat to children’s health. Extreme weather phenomena, such as droughts and floods, can undermine food security and increase the risk of diseases.

5. Lack of financing: The lack of financing for children’s health programs is a serious problem. To achieve the goals of sustainable development (CUR) related to the health of children, additional investments are needed.

B. Opportunities

1. New technologies: New technologies, such as mobile healthcare (MHEALTH) and telemedicine, can improve access to medical care in remote and low -income areas.

2. Innovation financing: Innovative financing, such as social impact bonds and financing based on the results, can mobilize additional resources for programs for the protection of children’s health.

3. Multisector approach: The multi -sectral approach, which includes healthcare, education, agriculture and social security sectors, can effectively solve problems related to children’s health.

4. Expanding the rights and capabilities of women: The expansion of women’s rights and capabilities, including improving their education and access to medical care, may have a positive effect on children’s health.

5. Potential extension: The buildup of the potential of medical workers and healthcare systems is important for ensuring sustainable improvements in the field of children’s health.

V. Future directions and recommendations

To achieve further progress in improving the health of children around the world, the following areas and recommendations are needed.

1. Strengthening health systems: Investing in strengthening health systems, including improving infrastructure, training medical workers and providing supplies of basic drugs and equipment.

2. Elimination of inequality: Development and implementation of policies and programs aimed at eliminating inequality in income, education and access to medical care.

3. Solving problems related to climate change: Development of strategies for mitigation and adaptation to climate change aimed at protecting children’s health.

4. Increase in financing: Increasing financing for children’s health programs, including investments in research and development of new means of intervention.

5. Partnership strengthening: Strengthening partnerships between governments, international organizations, private sector and civil society to achieve general goals in the field of children’s health.

6. Data collection and monitoring: Improving data collection and monitoring to track progress and identify areas that require additional attention.

7. Orientation to marginalized population groups: Paying special attention to the health of children in marginalized population groups, such as children from low -income families, rural areas and regions affected by conflict.

8. Expanding the rights and capabilities of communities: Expanding the rights and capabilities of communities to participate in the planning and implementation of children’s health programs.

9. Assistance based on actual data interventions: Assistance based on actual data interventions that have proven their effectiveness in improving children’s health.

10. Innovation: Promoting innovation in technology, financing and delivery of services to improve children’s health.

Paying attention to these future areas and recommendations, we can achieve further progress in improving the health of children around the world and ensure that all children have the opportunity to survive, prosper and achieve their full potential.