Hi all,
I came across the following story in the Sun newspaper, a paper not
known for it's scrupulous accuracy, regarding Britain's child health
amoung the worst in Europe. The Sun article mentioned our appalling
breastfeeding rates as one reason (it claimed the rates were 80% in
middle class families, 44% in poor families - I think that must be
intiation rates, but still...).
So, I looked up BBC News Online to see what they said (the same site
with the "Breastmilk highly contaminated" headline). Here is a portion:-
DOCTORS CALL FOR CHILD HEALTH ACTION
An independent commission should fight to improve child health
Independent "Children's Commissioners" should be appointed to help
tackle serious inequalities in the health of rich and poor children,
says the British Medical Association.
The comissioners, one each for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern
Ireland, would act as advocates for the "most vulnerable" group in
society, the association adds.
James Westhead reports on the crisis in the health of Britain's
children
The UK has a worse rate of infant mortality than Slovenia and equal to
underdeveloped Albania in the number of babies born dangerously
underweight. The call is made in a report, "Growing up in Britain:
Ensuring a Healthy Future for our Children". It calls for other key
policies to be endorsed by the government.
These include:
* An annual report on the health of children from the Chief Medical
Officer
* No further cuts in lone parent benefits
* Changes to tax and education to tackle "social exclusion"
* Action to reduce the level of teenage pregnancy and smoking in
pregnancy
* Antenatal testing for HIV to reduce transmission from mother to baby
It also identifies six other areas, including child care, obesity, and
the increased incidence of asthma, into which new research is needed.
Critical of 'turf wars'
Dr James Appleyard, who heads the task force, said: "Health policymakers
need to justify placing children's services so low on their agenda.
"We need to end the turf wars that create unnecessary barriers
between different government agencies."
Dr Vivienne Nathanson, BMA Head of Ethics, said: "We have high accident
rates, high injury rates, and we are not succeeding against getting 100%
immunisation against infectious diseases.
"All these things together mean we do badly in these world tables."
She added: "One thing we can do is have a child's commissioner to
actually look at all government policy and make sure it is child centred
and child sensitive."
{snip}
--
Anna H. Breastfeeding Advocate and would-be writer
http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna/
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