April 18, 1983
For nearly a quarter of a century, the United States has generously offered resources and
know-how to give a better, healthier life to ill and malnourished people throughout the world.
Despite past efforts and progress by the United States and many other countries, the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) recently reported that over 40,000 children in developing
countries still die every day, victims of malnutrition and disease. This is a tragedy of global
proportions and requires a global effort in response.
UNICEF is now pursuing a ``health revolution'' for children in developing countries that involves
a new combination of technological and social approaches to health. It is estimated that this
combination, coupled with networks of trained health workers backed by government services
and international assistance, can save the lives of 20,000 children each day within a decade.
Moreover, literally hundreds of millions of young lives would be healthier.
One technological achievement has been the development and distribution of an inexpensive home
treatment for diarrhea, a major contributor to deaths among young children in developing
countries. This treatment was developed after years of research in the International Center for
Diarrheal Disease Research in Bangladesh. The United States has contributed to that institution
for more than 20 years. The World Health Organization has also been a focal point for
international support and study of diarrheal diseases.
A second element is the development of low-cost vaccines which do not require refrigeration and
which can be used in remote areas to protect children from such killers as measles, diphtheria,
tetanus, whooping cough, polio, and tuberculosis.
Another factor is the promotion of breast feeding for its nutritional and hygienic value, as well as
its immunological qualities. Still another is a simple infant weight chart kept by the child's mother
which indicates a child's progress at monthly weighings, making malnutrition quickly detectable.
Its design and use have been improved and tested in United States-supported maternal-child
health programs around the world. UNICEF has found that a great portion of malnutrition cases
are due to the problem going undetected rather than lack of food in the family.
The American people have always been in the vanguard of support for children's health and
well-being. As President of the United States, I am asking the American people to help bring
about a health revolution for children during the coming decade by supporting UNICEF's
humanitarian program.