Spread Of Swine Flu Detracting From Real Issue, Says UK Charity

Main Category: Swine Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS;  Public Health;  Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses
Article Date: 22 May 2009 - 3:00 PDT

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Millions of children will continue to die of preventable causes unless health and development ministers get their priorities straight next week in Geneva, says leading aid agency World Vision.

Days before UK Government Ministers fly to the World Health Assembly, World Vision is urging them to support a vital resolution on primary health care, and place it at the centre of the development agenda.

World Vision CEO Justin Byworth has written to Health Secretary Alan Johnson, and to the Department for International Development, to stress that swine flu and the global recession "emphasise the need for national and global leadership to protect health, especially in developing countries where these threats may be less visible but are often more acute".

Despite 9.2 million children dying each year from avoidable causes such as diarrhoea, pneumonia and measles, many countries are still not delivering on their global health promises. Many governments are also failing to prioritise the most essential, life-saving community-based health systems, provisions and education.

"This is arguably the biggest child rights violation of our generation," said World Vision UK Health Adviser, Kate Eardley.

"There's a real risk that the current media and political focus on swine flu will divert energy and resources away from the ongoing child health emergency in the world's poorest countries. While the World Health Assembly needs to respond to current events, it must not take its eye off the ball in terms of reducing child deaths by the UN target of 2015. With six years to go, we are way off track on achieving this promise," Eardley said.

"In order to help reduce child mortality by 60 per cent, and save more than five million children, primary health care must remain central to the Assembly's agenda.

"High levels of child mortality reflect a lack of political will, misguided health policy and spending, and inadequate investment in maternal, neonatal and child health at the community level.

"Business as usual at the World Health Assembly will not save the millions of lives it should. A renewed focus and targeted investment in primary health care, particularly at family and community level, is urgently needed."

World Vision is calling on the UK Government to clearly reaffirm the commitments it made to reduce child and maternal mortality by 2015, at the World Health Assembly.

"They can show us how serious they are, by prioritising primary health care," said Eardley.

Kate Eardley, World Vision UK Health Adviser, will be at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. Contact Tennille Bergin on + (44) 7876 503 978 for more information. World Vision briefing 'Putting Children at the Centre of Health Care' is also available.

Source
World Health Assembly

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