Downturn could kill 400,000 children, warns Margaret Chan

[babylonsister]

Downturn could kill 400,000 children, warns Margaret Chan
Margaret Chan: 'Past recessions have provided evidence of deaths'

Sam Lister, Health Editor



Thousands of women and children are dying as a direct consequence of the current economic crisis which is already derailing efforts to improve maternal care and cut child death rates, the head of the World Health Organisation has warned.

Speaking to The Times after a meeting of world leaders hosted by Gordon Brown yesterday, Margaret Chan, director-general of the WHO, said that risks posed by the credit crunch to poor nations were already taking hold.

Dr Chan said that an estimate of between 200,000 and 400,000 additional child deaths per year caused by the downturn was “entirely credible”. She called on world leaders to show solidarity and “walk the talk” of funding pledges to poorer nations.

“There is no reason why we should doubt that this {death toll} will happen if we fail to act,” Dr Chan said. “Because if we do not, more women will suffer or die because of complications arising from pregnancy and delivery, and more children will die because of lack of food or immunisation or poor water and sanitation.

“It is very clear. Past recessions have ample evidence to demonstrate the fact. And the two groups that are most vulnerable are women and children, especially girls.”

Dr Chan, a member of the Taskforce on Innovative International Financing for Health Systems, which also includes Mr Brown, Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, and eight other world leaders, added that she had already encountered evidence of worsening funding problems.

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article5904637.ece

[blackdot]

1. It's natural selection.

Not to sound cruel but when a population over expands itself, it's only natural for it to die back when there is not enough resources.

[angstlessk]

2. if it was NATURAL as you stated those using the most resources per capita

should die out first, not those using the least. This is not natural selection it is unnatural and an abomination!