World Vision India, a humanitarian organization, is now aggressively working to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health in Orissa. The organization has given itself an achievable target by 2015. In this regard, several Orissa-based civil society organizations with representatives from each of the 14 high need districts of the State is looking to have access to prevention, care and education to enable them to ensure children remains healthy.

The issue assumes significance under the global campaign ‘Child Health’.  According to international reports of the 9 million children under 5 who die every year globally, three million are from South Asia of which India accounts for the  highest burden of 1.95 million. Further, the relevance of this campaign to Orissa can be gauged by the fact that Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) is about 303 there while the national average is 254. Likewise, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is 69 as compared to the national average of 54.

Launching the “Child Health Now” campaign in Bhubaneswar here today, Bulu Sareen, India manager CHN, stated that it stakeholders needed to get together and address Millennium Development Goals 4 & 5 for better access of health of mother and children.” Outlining the course of action, she said, the focus would be  on weak health systems that do not sufficiently respond to the needs of mothers and children and inadequate funding for health.”

According to Reni Jacob, Director Advocacy, World Vision India, there are simple life-saving health measures for children from as simple as providing basic vaccinations, oral rehydration sachets for children with diarrhoea, and vitamin and micronutrient supplements to boost immunity and growth. Breastfeeding in the first six months and prevention of childhood malnutrition by feeding infants from six months with nutritious food can help mitigating the problem of malnutrition among children. Access to basic community level maternal, neonatal and infant care services can also go a long way in reducing infant mortality.

WVI  would seek to enhance the state Budget allocation for health to address maternal & child health issues. Further efforts would also be on to identify and explore  barriers to health services that prevent access for mothers and children. WVI would also draw attention to acute malnutrition and disease prevention including access to clean water and adequate sanitation under the  ‘Child Health Now’ campaign initiative.