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Hyderabad: Death of kids can easily be prevented

The researchers found that the total number of deaths reported between 2005 and 2016 in four countries was 2,44,401.

Hyderabad: Most of the deaths that occurred between 2005 and 2016 in children aged 5–14 years in India arose from preventable conditions, says a study published in Lancet.

The researchers found that the total number of deaths reported between 2005 and 2016 in four countries was 2,44,401.

The reasons for these deaths were communicable and non-communicable diseases, transport injuries, drowning and cancer. When compared with China, Brazil, and Mexico, India reported the highest number of deathsin every broad category of deaths, except for non-communicable diseases among boys. “India was the only country where communicable diseases still account for nearly half of the deaths,” says the study. The findings showed that the death of children in the 1-14 years age group had reduced in the last 11 years. It was the fastest decline among the countries, the study said.

Age-standardised death rates from communicable diseases were about 17–19 times greater than in China and about 7–12 times greater than in Brazil or Mexico, depending on sex.

The leading causes of death in India among girls were diarrhoea, followed by malaria and pneumonia.

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