Downturn could kill 400,000 children, warns Margaret Chan

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


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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 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.

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More than half a million women die from preventable complications in pregnancy or childbirth every year, while it is calculated that a child dies from health-related problems every three seconds.

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“It is so important to champion women and children, otherwise once again they will fall by the wayside.

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“The stark reality is that if the global community fails to find new ways to support and develop health services in the developing world, many millions more will die,” he said. “We must act to prevent this financial crisis from becoming a human crisis.”
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dying in childbirth is so awful

a child dying of malnutrition is awful