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Child Health Week 12-19 November 2018

Today, half as many children die before reaching age 5 compared to 1990. However, every minute, 10 children under five die - more than half of them from preventable causes.

We already have simple, affordable tools that could save the lives of millions of children under 5 each year, we now need to make sure children everywhere can access them.

Together with some of our partners, Save the Children is organising a week of action on child health to raise national and global awareness about the leading causes of child death, with special focus on pneumonia, newborns and water, sanitation and hygiene to mark World Pneumonia Day, World Prematurity Day and World Toilet Day.

Join the outcry on social media as we speak out for the 5.9 million children who are still dying from preventable causes each year.

Scroll down to see the themes of Child Health Week, key facts on each theme and links to social media assets

Themes of Child Health Week

  • 12 November - World Pneumonia Day
  • 13 November - Health for All (Universal Health Coverage)
  • 14 November - Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
  • 15 November - Nutrition
  • 16 November - World Prematurity Day (cleverly marked a day prematurely - the real day is 17 November!)
  • [17 and 18 November - weekend break]
  • 19 November - World Toilet Day

12 November - World Pneumonia Day

Between 2000 and 2016, annual global child deaths due to pneumonia dropped from 1.7 million to an estimated 880,000. But to reach our Sustainable Development Goals leaving no-one behind we must do more the end all preventable child deaths.

Save the Children is committed to working with partners at all levels to effect the change needed to overcome the barriers to child survival, reduce pneumonia-related deaths in children and contribute to achieving an overall global goal of saving 5.3 million lives by 2030.

13 November - Health for All

Today, the chances of a child surviving beyond the age of 5 year is significantly higher than two decades ago. But still, nearly 6 million children die of preventable causes each year.

Your health should never depend on who you are, where you live or how much money you have. Health for all should be the norm, not the exception.

We are calling on governments to ensure universal health coverage, which is about ensuring all people can get quality health services, where and when they need them, without suffering financial hardship.

14 November - Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

Today, we have the largest generation of adolescents and youth in history. These adolescents face threats to their sexual reproductive health and rights, such as child marriage, early and unintended pregnancy, HIV, limited access to health services and sexual and gender-based violence.

Save the Children has prioritised and addressed the sexual and reproductive health and rights of adolescents for more than 20 years. We believe that meeting the needs and rights of adolescents is critical to achieving our global commitment to ensure that all children, especially the most deprived and marginalised, SURVIVE, LEARN and are PROTECTED.

15 November - Nutrition

Malnutrition makes children more vulnerable to severe diseases and was the underlying factor in about 45% of child deaths in 2016. One in four children under the age of five suffers from stunting – which impact a child’s brain and body.

Breastfeeding is a universal solution that gives everyone a fair start in life and lays the foundation for good health and survival of children and women. Optimal breastfeeding helps prevent malnutrition in all its forms with positive lifelong effects on both children and mother.

Save the Children promotes, protects and supports exclusive breastfeeding, giving children and women better chances of health and survival.

16 November - World Prematurity Day (1 day premature)

Preterm birth

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death for children under age 5. One out of 10 babies are born too soon- 15 million each year.

At Save the Children, we know that preterm, small and sick newborns can survive and thrive with known, feasible, cost-effective solutions that, with improved access, could prevent more than half of all newborn deaths. Families and health care professionals working together in the care of small and sick babies leads to better health and developmental outcomes and experience of care.

Newborn mortality

The day you are born is the riskiest day of your life. Nearly half of all under-5 child deaths occur in the newborn period (47%).

At Save the Children, we know that more than 3 million babies and women could be saved each year through investing in quality care around the time of birth and special care for sick and small newborn.

We also know that behaviour and social norms also influence newborn survival. For example, early initiation of breastfeeding can prevent 22 percent of newborn deaths.

19 November - World Toilet Day

1.5 million children under 5 die from diarrhoea each year. Nearly 40% of these deaths could be prevented with improved sanitation and hygiene.

Clean, safe toilets prevent disease, keep children in school and reduce levels of abuse, yet 1 in 3 people globally do not have access to one.

Thank you for showing your support for Child Health Week

Please let us know if you use these assets in your channels; we would love to hear about it!

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Created By
Sarah Roushanzamir
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Save the Children

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