Perspective: Socio-economic development and child survival

Abstract

Of the 8.8million deaths of children under 5 in the world in 2008, 4.5million were from Africa, especially West and Central Africa. Also, high maternal mortality rates, low life expectancy, and increasing food prices make the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals related to child survival unlikely for Sub-Saharan Africa. Soon after independence in the 1950's and 60's many African countries suffered political unrest, social upheaval and economic instability with military coups and or civil wars, leaving 20 million internally displaced or refugees, and adversely affecting child survival by the 1980's. Though the potential for economic growth exists and foreign investments are increasing, the African economy lacks adequate human resources, institutions, and physical infrastructures to ensure the growth that would improve child survival. African countries have the challenge of finding solutions for economic growth and development to enhance child survival. Possible ways include avoiding the commodity trap; reducing reliance on Official Development Assistance (ODA); and mobilizing domestic resource and stopping capital flight. prudent and judicious use of available resources and implementation of measures that address the structural causes of poverty, can improve child survival even in the prevailing conditions.