10 Million Children Die Each Year

Most of these 10 million deaths have origin in roots that can be easily healed and prevented.

Photo: filipspagnoli.wordpress.com

(MADRID) - This is how the infant mortality clock functions: 19 children of 5 years or less die each minute; 1,140 each hour; 27,360 each day; 10 million each year. It is estimated that 99 percent out these 10 million deaths take place in developing countries.

According to Save the Children Foundation, it is possible to reduce 60 percent of these deaths by carrying out simple and inexpensive measures. Such measures range from vaccines, oral rehydration, mosquito nets, to access to health care. Most of these children are victims to new-born vulnerabilities, such as pneumonia and diarrhea. These simple measures would help save more than 6 million children’s lives. Most of these 10 million deaths have origin in roots that can be easily healed and prevented.

From a women’s point of view, these numbers suggest that 9 out of 10 mothers in Sub-Saharan Africa will lose their child during the period of motherhood. Sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s number one region that suffers the highest child mortality rate. Moreover, the entire African continent along with southern Asia are the world’s main zones where children are the most vulnerable to disease and malnutrition.

The child mortality rate map, a bloody one per se, can be circumscribed to 10 countries. China and India, two of the Third World’s economic colossi, are definitely on the list. A cruel paradox in fact. These two small giants flaunt “economic” growth rates that are estimated to surpass those of the West’s within the next few decades.

China’s economy is growing at an annual rate of 9 percent, while India’s at an estimated 8 percent. Economic analysts estimate that China’s economy will double Germany’s by 2010, and reach Japan’s by 2020. Furthermore, if India’s economy sustains the actual growth rate for a constant 50 years, then it may reach au pair China’s or even surpass it. On this note, however, we all must ask ourselves if this is really the way we humans want to understand and carry out the process of Human Development.

(Translated by Gianna A. Sanchez-Moretti)