Seeking to help the Maasai, a tribal culture in Eastern Africa, an American doctor introduced a hand-washing program to curb the incidence of childhood diarrhea. Several organizations fundraised to provide malaria-ridden countries with mosquito nets. In your opinion, how do these medical interventions help to lower or increase the childhood mortality rate of underdeveloped nations?

Answer:

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: The top three international killers of children under the age of five are pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria. With easy-to-do or easy-to-use solutions, such as simple hand-washing or sleeping under a mosquito net, children’s exposure to harmful organisms is reduced and less children become ill. When these diseases are prevented, fewer children will require intervention. Hopefully, this will reduce infant mortality rates.