Today, a child dies every 7 seconds from lack of care. The main reason for this tragedy is the extreme poverty. Michaela is 5 years old. She was born in Grand Anse, one of Haiti’s poorest regions. As a victim of the cholera epidemic that has plagued the country since the 2010 earthquake, she suffers from severe dehydration and repeated blackouts. Only the serum treatment that Doctors of the World is providing her with can cure her. In many countries, among the poorest in the world, millions of children die at birth, or suffer from diseases such as measles, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, pneumonia, or diarrhoea. Yet simple treatments, good hygiene, better nutrition and access to quality health services could save their lives.
230 MILLION CHILDREN LIVE IN COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY CRISIS OR WAR. CHILDREN ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY 50% OF THE WORLD’S REFUGEES. To escape the civil war raging in Syria, Moissa, 4 years old, and his parents crossed into Turkey. After an exhausting journey, they boarded a makeshift boat on the Aegean Sea, to the island of Chios in Greece. Deeply shocked, Moissa no longer feeds. Her mother was desperate and turned to the Doctors of the World teams in the detention centre where the family is awaiting its pass for Europe. In contexts of natural disaster or extreme violence, children are the most vulnerable. Injured, traumatised, sometimes separated from their families, they are particularly exposed to dangers and diseases. Forced to live in appalling sanitary conditions, without access to health facilities, they are in urgent need of care and protection.
230 MILLION CHILDREN LIVE IN COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY CRISIS OR WAR. CHILDREN ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY 50% OF THE WORLD’S REFUGEES. To escape the civil war raging in Syria, Moissa, 4 years old, and his parents crossed into Turkey. After an exhausting journey, they boarded a makeshift boat on the Aegean Sea, to the island of Chios in Greece. Deeply shocked, Moissa no longer feeds. Her mother was desperate and turned to the Doctors of the World teams in the detention centre where the family is awaiting its pass for Europe.In contexts of natural disaster or extreme violence, children are the most vulnerable. Injured, traumatised, sometimes separated from their families, they are particularly exposed to dangers and diseases. Forced to live in appalling sanitary conditions, without access to health facilities, they are in urgent need of care and protection.
27 MILLION CHILDREN ARE AT RISK OF POVERTY OR SOCIAL EXCLUSION IN EUROPE. THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CRISIS MAKES THEM EVEN MORE VULNERABLE. For 3 years, Sonia has been living in Germany with her family. When she turned 8, her parents enrolled her in a school in Munich. But to continue her education, she needed to be vaccinated against childhood diseases. Without health insurance and any resources, her family could never take her to consult a GP. At the Doctors of the World clinic, Sonia will finally receive the vaccines that will allow herto return to school. Europe is the cradle of human rights. Yet equality in terms of health remains a challenge. The European crisis struck the weakest the hardest and this new poverty has serious repercussions for children. Many do not have access to care, including vaccination, or they don’t have enough to eat or are inadequately housed. More than ever, a free health care system accessible to everyone in Europe is needed.
PROTECTING CHILDREN IS A DUTY. For 35 years, DOTW has been fighting to protect and care for the most vulnerable. Children are the first victims of poverty, violence or disease. There is an urgent need to take care of them. Most children cry at the thought of seeing the doctor. With their injections, needles, equipment and medecines, our doctors of the world devote all their energy to supporting and treating every child in need, without any discrimination. So, make a child cry you too! Follow the link below to know how.
