খবর

Every day around the world, the lives of more than 2,000 families are torn apart by the loss of a child to an unintentional injury or so-called accident that could have been prevented. The grief that these families suffer is immeasurable and often impacts entire communities. Such tragedy can change lives irrevocably.
Injuries are the leading cause of death for children after their first birthday. There is also high morbidity associated with childhood injuries. A large proportion of these injuries (for example, falls, burns, drowning) occur in either the home or in leisure environments. Among those children who live in poverty, the burden of injury is highest, as these children are less likely to benefit from the protective measures others may receive.
Child injuries have been neglected for many years and are largely absent from child survival initiatives presently on the global agenda. Through the World report on child injury prevention, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund and many partners have set out to elevate child injury to a priority for the global public health and development communities. The report suggests that child injury and violence prevention programmes need to be integrated into child survival and other broad strategies focused on improving the lives of children.
Children’s maturity and their interests and needs differ from adults. Therefore, simply reproducing injury prevention strategies that are relevant to adults does not adequately protect children. There are proven interventions such as child car seats, cycling helmets, child-resistant packaging for medications, fencing around swimming pools, hot water tap temperature regulation and window guards, to name a few.
Imple-menting proven interventions could save more than a thousand children’s lives a day. Child injuries are a growing global public health problem. Evidence-based interventions and sustained investments by all sectors prevent the loss of healthy life in the youngest members of our community.

Source - The Daily Star