Brittney Tinker
February 6, 2008
English Composition, Environmental Essay
Saving the Children
There is no excuse why millions of children are dying each year. There is basic low cost intervention that even poor, undeveloped countries should be entitled to, so that the high number of child mortality drastically decreases. Once country that has made significant progress in reducing its child mortality rate is Egypt, according to the Eight State of the World’s Mother Report, issued by Save the Children, a U.S. based global independent humanitarian organization. There has been a 68 percent decline in the children’s mortality rate in Egypt since 1990 (Save the Children 1). One of the reasons why there has been such a vast improvement in the health of Egypt’s children is from the government’s investment in health care services offered to mothers and children. The report stated that from the stage of pregnancy before the child is even born, there has been more resources allocated to mothers. Egypt’s government has also made childbirth safer and the use of family planning services available, which has resulted in thousands of children’s lives saved (Save the Children 1).
On the other hand Iraq has made the least progress since 1990, with its mortality rate having increased 150 percent (Save the Children 1). It was a staggering fact that more than 122,000 children under five-years-old died, and that half of those deaths were newborns within their first month (Save the Children 2). The fact that these babies are dying within their first month says they are not receiving the basic health procedures necessary. Amongst these are vaccinations and precautions against catching diseases and the flu. Since the country has been through a major war with no secure, stable government, it is no surprise that there are no proper, sufficient procedures for mothers and children.
As a new mother I realize how important it is to go through the basic steps when a child is born to...