UNICEF shines spotlight on main killers of children that went underreported this year
TORONTO, Dec. 19, 2012 /CNW/ - UNICEF Canada released a new report today on the main killers of children that have gone underreported in Canada this past year.
Everyday 19,000 children die worldwide from mostly preventable causes.
"These deaths are unacceptable. Almost all of these lives could be saved by simply ensuring children have clean water, medicines, food or the basic protection they need," says UNICEF Canada's President and CEO David Morley. "At UNICEF we believe Canadians should know about these children who have died and what is being done to keep other vulnerable children alive."
This year's most underreported stories include severe threats to children's lives like the increased risk of death for babies born to child brides, the world's failure to end open defecation, a leading cause of diarrhea which kills 700,000 children every year, and the poor access children have to medicines needed to treat and prevent the spread of HIV.
The report highlights silent emergencies and emerging threats including the ongoing undernutrition crisis in Yemen, the silent emergency of child drowning in Asia and increasing concerns that long fought progress against malaria may be at risk due to the damaging effects of climate change.
There have also been important achievements in saving children's lives in 2012.
Stories in today's report include the vaccination of the 100 millionth person against meningitis, the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus in five countries and the development of a new international action plan aimed at saving 6 million lives by making 13 basic health items available in the world's poorest communities.
"In the past two decades the number of children dying every day has declined from 33,000 to 19,000. This is success to be celebrated. But as today's report indicates global efforts can't stop now, there is a lot more work that needs to be done to reach the world's most vulnerable children," says Morley.
To read this year's report No Child too Far…10 Underreported Stories: Saving Children's Lives visit http://www.unicef.ca/en/featured-reports/article/underreported-child-survival-stories-2012
About UNICEF
UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization. We work tirelessly to help children and their families, doing whatever it takes to ensure children survive. We provide children with healthcare and immunization, clean water, nutrition and food security, education, emergency relief and more.
UNICEF is supported entirely by voluntary donations and helps children regardless of race, religion or politics. As part of the UN, we are active in over 190 countries - more than any other organization. Our determination and our reach are unparalleled. Because nowhere is too far to go to help a child survive.
SOURCE: UNICEF Canada
Melanie Sharpe
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