Goal 4: Reduce Child Mortality
Target 5: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.
Around the world, thousands of children die every year from preventable causes: illnesses caused by contaminated water, inadequate immunisation, injuries from war and civil conflict, high levels of poverty and malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Goal 4 sets out to substantially lower the number of children dying before they reach their fifth birthday.
Due to discrepancies in data from Guyana it is hard to estimate whether Guyana is well on its way to meet Goal 4 or whether there is still much to be done. This goal is inextricably tied to the fight against poverty because the poor are the least likely to receive the health services needed to protect the lives of their children.
In Guyana, acute respiratory infections (pneumonia), diarrhoea and worm infestations are the major causes of death in children under five years. Available data shows that progress has been made and the under-five mortality rate related to these illnesses is falling. In addition, 95 percent of one year olds are immunised against measles, mumps and rubella, which indicates that the population has good access to vaccinations. Nevertheless, achieving this goal requires an improvement in the quality of programmes and their supportive policy environments.
What is being done to reduce child mortality?
The Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), runs a programme providing training for health workers. The programme focuses on the child and teaches how to recognise the dangers signs of the most common illnesses. Positive results are the earlier referral of children to a higher level of care when necessary and parents and guardians bringing their sick children to health facilities earlier. The number of acute respiratory infections and acute cases of diarrhoea has been reduced accordingly.
Other key interventions have targeted investments in human resources and physical infrastructure. Health centres and health posts in the hinterland areas are especially vital as the Infant Mortality Rate and Under-five Mortality Rates in these regions are higher than in other regions. Meeting the needs of rural and remote populations is challenging; the provision of medical services is complicated and costly, maintenance of infrastructure difficult and qualified medical staff in poor supply.
Construction, refurbishment and furnishing of regional hospitals, health centres and health posts across the country have been ongoing to upgrade the quality of health infrastructure nation wide.
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