Effects of alcohol and drugs on adolescents Harmful drinking among adolescents is a major concern in many countries. Drug use among 15–19 year olds is also an important global concern because of the following: a) It reduces self-control and increases risky behaviours, such as unsafe sex or dangerous driving. b) It is an underlying cause...

Facts and Figures on Adolescents :Early pregnancy and childbirth The leading cause of death for 15-19 year-old girls globally is complications from pregnancy and childbirth. Some 11% of all births worldwide are to girls aged 15–19 years The vast majority of these births are in low- and middle-income countries. The UN Population Division puts the...

Facts and Figures on Adolescents Death/illnesses among adolescents More than 1.1 million adolescents aged 10-19 years died in 2016, over 3000 every day, mostly from preventable or treatable causes. Road traffic injuries were the leading cause of death among adolescents in 2016. Other major causes of adolescent deaths include suicide, interpersonal violence, HIV/AIDS and diarrhoeal...

Keeping an eye on global trends and priorities for children’s health is important to ensure that appropriate interventions are put in place  Emerging priorities for children’s health Congenital anomalies, injuries, and non-communicable diseases (chronic respiratory diseases, acquired heart diseases, childhood cancers, diabetes, and obesity) are the emerging priorities in the global child health agenda. Congenital...

Simple interventions can be put in place to cut down on child mortality: Leading causes of death in children under-5 years are the following: Preterm birth complications Pneumoniae Birth asphyxia Congenital anomalies Diarrhoea Malaria More than half of these early child deaths are preventable or can be treated with simple, affordable interventions including the following:...

The following are some strategies that families and care givers can adopt to take very good care of newborns for better outcomes: Families should be advised to: Seek prompt medical care if necessary (danger signs include feeding problems, or if the newborn has reduced activity, difficult breathing, a fever, fits or convulsions, or feels cold);...

There should be a plan to take care of newborns to improve on their survival and development Priority Strategies on Newborns: It is possible to improve survival and health of newborns and end preventable stillbirths by reaching high coverage of quality antenatal care, skilled care at birth, postnatal care for mother and baby, and care...

Improving the health outcomes of newborns is every body’s business. Right from home to the policy level. A. Deaths among newborns Globally 2.5 million children died in the first month of life in 2018 —approximately 7 000 newborn deaths every day with about one third dying on the day of birth and close to three...

Thinking through women’s wellbeing:  Why do women not get the care they need? Poor women in remote areas are the least likely to receive adequate health care. This is especially true for regions with low numbers of skilled health workers, such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The main factors that prevent women from receiving...

Health Issues of Vulnerable Groups There are many factors affecting the wellbeing of pregnant women, children and adolescents that can be addressed but it is important facts and figures are made available for these factors to be dealt with within the proper context. Below are some data and facts on maternal health and why women...