World Vision India, Coimbatore, conducted the Global Week of Action covering 35,000 students in schools and colleges from November 13 to 20, who raised their hands to take an oath to end preventable child deaths.
According to Vetriselvan John K, programme manager, the Global Week included an awareness drive to improve healthcare of women and children in India.
School and college students, and the public raised their hands in solidarity to take the oath “Count Me In – Survive 5”, which meant they could be counted upon for making children survive their fifth birthday.
Malnourishment
“Every day, nearly 5,000 children die in India due to preventable diseases. This also includes cases of severely and moderately malnourished children. The aim of World Vision, which is an international organisation, is to make 60 lakh people raise their hands for the cause. India has a target of 18 lakh hands,” he said.
Campaign
As a follow-up, the organisation was implementing certain projects, offering cost-effective solutions such as providing clean water and skilled birth attendants during childbirth to reduce the number of child deaths. The hand raising campaign was to bring the problem of such deaths to the notice of world leaders, Mr. Vetriselvan said.
