The commitment to children’s health
In line with its mission, Eni Foundation focuses its attention and commitment on issues related to the respect of the fundamental rights of children. This challenge above all concerns developing countries, where the percentage of children and adolescents is particularly high and, due to harsh living conditions, they are more vulnerable. In these countries, children very often have no access to healthcare, education, adequate nutrition or hygiene and are also subjected to violence and abuse.
Among the fundamental rights of the individual, health – in the sense of physical, psychological and social wellbeing – represents a key factor in the growth and development of children and constitutes, as declared by the World Health Organisation “an indivisible common good and a fundamental condition for the peace and security of the world”.
This is why Eni Foundation has decided to dedicate the first years of its activity to the implementation of projects and initiatives aimed at promoting and guaranteeing children’s health. To this end, it deals with some of the major health issues facing them, by supporting the efforts of the international community to reduce, within the framework of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, the incidence of the principal diseases, such as malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS.
Eni Foundation consequently intends to play a distinctive role in this area by contributing to:
- improving diagnostic and control systems
- broadening access to drugs and vaccines
- spreading effective preventive measures, in particular through immunization programs
- promoting the training of healthcare workers
- building awareness among the population about the importance of prevention.
Children’s health around the world
Although the infant mortality rate is in decline worldwide and a number of pathologies (such as malaria and tuberculosis) are regressing thanks to health initiatives, 10 million children still die every year before reaching the age of 5.
Of these, around half (4 million) die from malnutrition, which is one of the most obvious consequences of poverty on children: the poorest, who suffer most, live in the least developed countries, in particular in countries affected by conflict.
A significant proportion of such deaths, half of which occur in the first weeks of life, is the result of acute respiratory infections, dysentery, measles and malaria; diseases that can be prevented by vaccination, mosquito nets, improved hygiene and other simple forms of protection which are, however, often unavailable for a large part of the population in the most economically disadvantaged countries.
Preventable diseases alone account for more than 2 million deaths every year, 70% of which (1.4 million) are children under 5 years of age.
Those who survive often carry permanent consequences of the privations: delays in physical and psychological development, disabilities and social vulnerability.
Marked differences can also occur within a single country: children living in the poorest areas and outside of urban areas are decidedly more vulnerable, also because most of them do not have access to any form of medical care.
Contacts
Eni Foundation
Piazzale Enrico Mattei 1
00144 Roma - ITALIA
Tel 06 59824108 - Fax 06 59822106
e-mail: enifoundation@eni.com
Salissa Mwana - Project aimed at improving child healthcare in the remote areas of Congo
Eni Foundation is conducting wide-ranging vaccination and epidemiological screening program against the principal infant disease in the Kouilou, Niari and Cuvette regions.
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