More than 25,000 Children Die Each Day from Preventable Causes, Agency Notes

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 8, 2009) — Save the Children commended President Obama for making child and maternal health a prominent part of a new, comprehensive and more integrated global health strategy, and urged greater investment to save millions of young lives around the world.

More than 25,000 children die every day from preventable causes associated with extreme poverty and lack of basic health care. Support from the governments of developing countries where the deaths occur and from the international community remains well short of what is required to save these lives.

Malnutrition and poor health care affect millions of children. Credit: Karin Beale Nesturud

"We welcome this recognition that robust investment in simple and cost-effective solutions can slash this tragic statistic. We applaud the president for his commitment to reducing needless suffering and deaths among the world's poorest people and for exercising U.S. leadership to leverage critical support from other wealthy nations, including G8 governments," said Charles MacCormack, president and CEO of Save the Children. "We believe the urgency of the current situation demands greater investment in proven solutions. The lives of millions of young children and their mothers are at stake."

The president has proposed a new global health strategy over six years totaling $63 billion that will combine a focus on disease-specific efforts with other programs, such as maternal and child health.

 "We call on Congress to work with the president to make child and maternal health a strong cornerstone of integrated global health investment," MacCormack said. "We look forward to an accelerated increase in FY 2011 and onward of the administration's modest increment for maternal and child heath in its current budget request. This funding will help put an end to the preventable deaths overwhelming families and communities around the world."

Save the Children is the leading independent organization that creates lasting change for children in need in the United States and around the world. Save the Children USA is a member of the International Save the Children Alliance, a global network of 27 independent Save the Children organizations working to ensure the well-being and protection of children in more than 120 countries. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.