Virendra Sharma MP

VIRENDRA SHARMA MP BACKS CAMPAIGN TO END PREVENTABLE CHILD DEATHS

VIRENDRA SHARMA MP BACKS CAMPAIGN TO END PREVENTABLE CHILD DEATHS

Local MP, Virendra Sharma, today backed the global campaign to end preventable child deaths.  Virendra Sharma added his name to the list of MPs calling for action to end the international child health emergency that is currently claiming the lives of 24,000 children under the age of five every day.

He joined World Vision, one of the world’s largest development organisations, in calling on governments around the world to make child health a political priority to deal with this unacceptable loss of life.

Nearly nine million children die each year before their fifth birthday in the developing world; the overwhelming majority from preventable conditions such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and neonatal complications.  At least two-thirds of these children could be saved, if governments make child health a priority and refocus health spending on prevention in the community and not just cures at the clinic.

Virendra Sharma MP said:

“It’s unacceptable that every year millions of children in poorer countries are dying from things which are easily prevented here in the UK, like diarrhoea and measles.”

“Governments need to be smarter about where they are spending money on health to make sure that more lives are saved.”

“People living in Ealing Southall have been in touch with me about this, and I’m pleased to back World Vision’s campaign to urge our Government to do more to stop these unnecessary deaths.”

Justin Byworth, Chief Executive of World Vision UK said:

“Over a quarter of a billion children live in a healthcare desert, miles from the nearest clinic or hospital.“

“These unreachable children need simple life-savers in their homes and villages, such as mosquito nets, nutritional supplements and safe, clean drinking water, if we are going to prevent children dying from conditions such as diarrhoea and malaria.”

“Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world but has halved child deaths since 1990 by investing in simple preventive measures within communities, by distributing mosquito nets and increasing the number of skilled birth attendants. Success is possible, but we need the political will to make it happen.”

World Vision’s report CHILD HEALTH NOW, is a global five-year campaign to hold governments to account on their pledge to cut under-five deaths by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. World Vision argues there is still time to achieve this target, but drastic action is required.

World Vision calls on the UK government to prioritise spending on preventive measures in the worst-affected countries and publish action plans, setting out how the £6 billion they have allocated to health over the next seven years will be spent to ensure it gets to the children who need it most.

Notes:

The “Child Health Now” report can be downloaded at :

http://www.worldvision.org.uk/server.php?show=nav.3428

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation, dedicated to working with children, their families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Currently working with more than 100 million people in nearly 100 countries through locally governed programmes.