Response on Save the Children’s ‘Saving Children’s Lives’ campaign

March 2008

Thank you for your letter to Douglas Alexander about child mortality in the developing world and Early Day Motion 898. I am replying as the Minister responsible for the issues raised.

I share your concern about the number of child deaths in the developing world. Although the number of under five deaths has declined by 20%, to a record low of 9.7 million per annum in 2006, this is still far short of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of a two-thirds reduction by 2015.

Improving the health of children (MDG 4) goes hand in hand with improving the health of their mothers (MDG 5). This is because 40% of child deaths occur in the first days after birth due to a lack of any basic maternal and newborn care. The UK therefore wants to see faster progress towards both of these goals and we seek to improve child and maternal health through our wider work on strengthening health systems to deliver better health services.

Internationally, the UK Government, along with the health related UN agencies and a wide range of donors, has championed the International Health Partnership (IHP). This focuses on stepping up global efforts to strengthen health systems so that hospitals and health centres have well trained doctors, nurses and midwives as well as the medicines and equipment to do their job.

The UK also contributes to global initiatives such as the Global Fund to Fight HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria, The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation and Roll Back Malaria, which have helped revitalise interest in childhood diseases and substantially increased the resources directed towards child health. We are the second biggest contributor to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The development work of the Department for International Development plays an important role in contributing towards reducing child mortality. Most child deaths are preventable and avoidable with the delivery of better health services. The UK’s broader development efforts to enhance economic growth, improve basic services such as water and sanitation and education, address inequality, conflict, civil unrest, child rights and food insecurity, also have a positive impact on the health of children.

I hope this is helpful.

Yours Sincerely,

Gillian Merron
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development

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