Little Things

A Save the Children poll shows the extent of misunderstanding in the UK of the major threats to child survival across the globe.

Almost half of the people surveyed, wrongly believe that HIV and AIDS and malaria are the major causes of child mortality. In reality, it is complications at birth, pneumonia and diarrhoea which are responsible for almost three out of every four child deaths.

The poll, conducted by YouGov and carried out by online interview among 1,510 adults, shows that 34 per cent of the UK public believes HIV and AIDS to be the single biggest killer of children. However, HIV and AIDS is only responsible for 3 per cent, or, just under 300,000 of the 9.7 million child deaths every year.

Around 13 per cent of the UK public thought malaria was responsible for the majority of the 9.7 million annual deaths of children. However, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the disease accounts for only 8 per cent of child deaths, or 800,000 children a year.

The poll was carried out just days after the publication of the results of a similar poll conducted among Americans by the US Coalition for ChildSurvival. The results of the US poll showed that, like Britons, the Americans were also wrong in believing that HIV and AIDS and Malaria were the main threats to child survival, though more Americans - 60 per cent - believed this, than in the UK - 47 per cent.

In the UK poll, when respondents were asked whether child survival should be a more significant priority in the UK's international aid agenda, 64 per cent of Brits agreed, or strongly agreed that it should.

Adrian Lovett, Director of Campaigns and Communications, Save the Children, says, "The main two child killers in poor countries are pneumonia and diarrhoea. This clearly comes as a shock to most people. We've all suffered from diarrhoea - it's a common childhood problem. For us it's unpleasant, but it's not a killer.

"Yet children in poor countries are dying of it. But for the want of a few pennies to buy the essential rehydration salts they need to replace the nutrients they lose while ill, they could easily survive. In other words, despite everyone knowing how to deal with diarrhoea, it is still responsible for 20 per cent of all child deaths.

"Millions of people want the rich world to do much more to save children's lives. What many don't realise is just how simple many of these solutions are. That's why we want Gordon Brown to join other world leaders and commit to do everything in their power to end the scandal of 30,000 children dying unnecessarily every day."

Lack of food is one of the main reasons why children are left vulnerable to diarrhoea and pneumonia. More than half - 53 per cent - of all deaths from diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia are attributable to malnutrition.

More information can be found at: www.savethechildren.org.uk

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