Prematurity is the Leading Cause of Child Mortality
USAID Bureau for Global Health sent this bulletin at 11/17/2016 10:00 AM EST
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World Prematurity Day 2016
Today, along with partners around the world, we
recognize World Prematurity Day and the 15 million babies that are born
prematurely every year.
Preterm birth affects families in every country, and
preventing deaths among babies born too soon is a major challenge for many
countries. Complications from prematurity are the leading cause of child
mortality globally and account for more than 1 million deaths per year, with 60
percent of those deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
Preventing preterm births and treating the
complications that arise from them are essential components of the U.S. Agency
for International Development’s (USAID’s) goal to end preventable child and
maternal deaths within a generation. USAID works with partners in 25 priority
countries around the world to identify and scale up programs and interventions
that are most effective for addressing preterm birth complications.