Child survival

"Child survival is the most pressing moral dilemma of the new millennium". Motivated by that belief, a group of global child health experts met several times in 2003 to figure out how to galvanise available effective low-cost interventions to prevent children's deaths. In light of the fact that nearly all of the 10.8 million children younger than 5 who will die in 2003 live in the world's poorest countries, the scholars explored means of reaching children bypassed by the delivery strategies of existing health services. This process of dialogue culminated in a 6-day February 2003 workshop in Bellagio, Italy that was sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation and arranged by The Lancet.

On the basis of these meetings, the Bellagio Child Survival Study Group produced a series of 5 articles. These articles explore the causes of child deaths, evaluate current levels of intervention coverage, question current global health strategies, address inequalities in child health, and urge shifts in policy and funding at country and global levels. The papers are preceded by an editorial by The Lancet.

Please click on the links below to view summaries of each article, and to access further links to the PDF versions of the full documents.

1. The world's forgotten children
2. Where and why are 10 million children dying every year?
3. How many child deaths can we prevent this year?
4. Reducing child mortality: can public health deliver?
5. Applying an equity lens to child health and mortality: more of the same is not enough
6. Knowledge into action for child survival