Bid to cut infant deaths

2009-09-09 11:04

Durban - The eThekwini municipality has embarked on a campaign to curb the "escalating" infant mortality rate, the city said on Wednesday.

The region's head of health, Dr Nomakhosi Gxagxisa, said the campaign, which started on Monday, would distribute Vitamin A supplements and de-worming treatments and increase immunisations to all infants in the district.

"Statistics reveal that hundreds of children lose their lives from childhood illnesses such as diarrhoea due to Vitamin A deficiency and malnutrition due to the loss of important nutrients in the body," she said in a statement.

"This is also the opportunity for the children to be de-wormed as worms have become common to children."

The initiative would continue for two weeks and would be offered to children aged between six and 59 months.

"The provision of these services will help decrease the risks of death among infants and will also be offered to schools, crèches, pre-schools and health care facilities," said Gxagxisa.

"This process is to ensure that such services are closer to the people so that children have proper access to health services without difficulties."

- SAPA