Children’s access to healthcare limited by economic strength

National

World health records indicate that children are the most marginalised group in societies and depend mostly on their parents, a doctor says.
Senior anaesthetist, Prof Michael Cooper from Australia, told the 53rd PNG Medical Symposium in Port Moresby that children below 15 years of age made up half of the global population but most had limited access to surgery and anaesthesia.
Cooper said children had access to medical care depending on their families’ status and many were not likely to have access due to the high costs of treatment.
“The best medical care is accorded to a minority while the bulk of the young population are going unattended and, as a result, many die,” Cooper said.
“Infant mortality rates are high in low-income countries and low in high-income countries.
“PNG is in the former group.
“Many mothers have died during delivery, leaving children, who have a more than 50 per cent chance of dying as well.
“Having hospitals near and also providing proper facilities in the existing hospitals contributes to saving the lives of children and this must be looked into by the proper authorities and addressed well.”