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WHO announces theme of World Health Day 2005

Physician Practice Advisor, November 12, 2004

The World Health Organization (WHO) selected maternal and child health as the focus of World Health Day on April 7, 2005. On this day, the WHO will also launch the first-ever world health report dedicated to maternal and child health.

In developing countries, pregnancy and childbirth is one of the leading causes of death for women of reproductive age, and one child in 12 does not reach his or her fifth birthday. Yet, the fate of these women and children is too often overlooked or ignored. The slogan for World Health Day 2005 "Make Every Mother and Child Count," reflects the reality that governments and the international community need to make the health of women and children a higher priority.

"The real tragedy," notes Dr LEE Jong-wook, WHO Director-General, "is that millions of women and children are dying needlessly, and we are failing to act. We do not need to discover a cure for childbirth complications or for a little girl with pneumonia. We simply need to apply the knowledge we already have to saving lives."

Go to the World Health Day 2005 Web site at www.who.int for more information.

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