Action against birth defects: if not now, when?
Background More children are surviving through interventions to address the infectious causes of under-5 mortality; subsequently, the proportion of deaths caused by birth defects is increasing. Prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care interventions for birth defects are available but are needed whe...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
|
| Series: | Global Health Action |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2354002 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832096659510657024 |
|---|---|
| author | Kathleen Strong Judith Robb-McCord Salimah Walani Cecilia Mellado Lorenzo D. Botto Guillermo Lay-Son Theresa Diaz Tahmina Banu Kokila Lakhoo Anshu Banerjee |
| author_facet | Kathleen Strong Judith Robb-McCord Salimah Walani Cecilia Mellado Lorenzo D. Botto Guillermo Lay-Son Theresa Diaz Tahmina Banu Kokila Lakhoo Anshu Banerjee |
| author_sort | Kathleen Strong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background More children are surviving through interventions to address the infectious causes of under-5 mortality; subsequently, the proportion of deaths caused by birth defects is increasing. Prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care interventions for birth defects are available but are needed where the burden is highest, low-and-middle-income countries. Objectives A selection of birth defect focused publications, conferences, and World Health Assembly resolutions from 2000 to 2017 show that global efforts were made to raise the profile of birth defects in global public health. However, recent donor support and national government interest has waned. Without concerted global action to improve primary prevention and care for children born with birth defects, the Sustainable Development Goal targets for child survival will not be met. Results Birth defects make up 8% and 10% of global under-5 and neonatal deaths respectively, making them significant contributors to preventable loss of life for children. Survivors face long-term morbidity and lifelong disability which compounds the health and economic woes of individuals, families, communities and society as a whole. Demographic changes in sub-Saharan Africa portend a growing number of births with 1.6 billion projected from 2021 to 2050. More births and better survival without effective prevention and treatment for birth defects translates into more mortality and disability from birth defects. Conclusions We recommend interventions for prevention of birth defects. These are evidenced-based and affordable, but require low- and middle-income countries to strengthened their health systems. Action against birth defects now will prevent premature deaths and long-term disability, and lead to stronger, more resilient health systems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-416d9856cb0d42b99084fe1f5c03bd9d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1654-9880 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Global Health Action |
| spelling | doaj-art-416d9856cb0d42b99084fe1f5c03bd9d2025-02-05T12:46:13ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Health Action1654-98802024-12-0117110.1080/16549716.2024.23540022354002Action against birth defects: if not now, when?Kathleen Strong0Judith Robb-McCord1Salimah Walani2Cecilia Mellado3Lorenzo D. Botto4Guillermo Lay-Son5Theresa Diaz6Tahmina Banu7Kokila Lakhoo8Anshu Banerjee9World Health OrganizationIndependent (formerly March of Dimes)MiracleFeetPontificia Universidad Católica de ChileUniversity of UtahPontificia Universidad Católica de ChileWorld Health OrganizationChittagong Research Institute for Children’s SurgeryUniversity of Oxford and Oxford University HospitalsWorld Health OrganizationBackground More children are surviving through interventions to address the infectious causes of under-5 mortality; subsequently, the proportion of deaths caused by birth defects is increasing. Prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care interventions for birth defects are available but are needed where the burden is highest, low-and-middle-income countries. Objectives A selection of birth defect focused publications, conferences, and World Health Assembly resolutions from 2000 to 2017 show that global efforts were made to raise the profile of birth defects in global public health. However, recent donor support and national government interest has waned. Without concerted global action to improve primary prevention and care for children born with birth defects, the Sustainable Development Goal targets for child survival will not be met. Results Birth defects make up 8% and 10% of global under-5 and neonatal deaths respectively, making them significant contributors to preventable loss of life for children. Survivors face long-term morbidity and lifelong disability which compounds the health and economic woes of individuals, families, communities and society as a whole. Demographic changes in sub-Saharan Africa portend a growing number of births with 1.6 billion projected from 2021 to 2050. More births and better survival without effective prevention and treatment for birth defects translates into more mortality and disability from birth defects. Conclusions We recommend interventions for prevention of birth defects. These are evidenced-based and affordable, but require low- and middle-income countries to strengthened their health systems. Action against birth defects now will prevent premature deaths and long-term disability, and lead to stronger, more resilient health systems.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2354002child mortalitynewborn mortalitybirth defectsdisabilitysustainable development goals |
| spellingShingle | Kathleen Strong Judith Robb-McCord Salimah Walani Cecilia Mellado Lorenzo D. Botto Guillermo Lay-Son Theresa Diaz Tahmina Banu Kokila Lakhoo Anshu Banerjee Action against birth defects: if not now, when? Global Health Action child mortality newborn mortality birth defects disability sustainable development goals |
| title | Action against birth defects: if not now, when? |
| title_full | Action against birth defects: if not now, when? |
| title_fullStr | Action against birth defects: if not now, when? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Action against birth defects: if not now, when? |
| title_short | Action against birth defects: if not now, when? |
| title_sort | action against birth defects if not now when |
| topic | child mortality newborn mortality birth defects disability sustainable development goals |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2354002 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kathleenstrong actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT judithrobbmccord actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT salimahwalani actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT ceciliamellado actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT lorenzodbotto actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT guillermolayson actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT theresadiaz actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT tahminabanu actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT kokilalakhoo actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen AT anshubanerjee actionagainstbirthdefectsifnotnowwhen |