'Policies needed to ensure right to health to children'

New Delhi, Nov 14: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today termed undernourishment, environmental damage, conflict and terrorism as major challenges to children's health and said that right to health should be respected and upheld for children.

Inaugurating the first Global Youth Meet on Health (GMY-2006) organised by Hriday-SHAN, the Prime Minister stressed the need for policies and programmes that provide essential health care to all, especially children who are the most vulnerable section of the society. He also called for empowering youth through education and awareness to fight undernourishment, obesity and diseases like HIV/AIDS.

Dr Singh said that health is not only necessary for development of both individuals and of nations but also a fundamental human right. Ill health not only affects the physical and mental development of children but also diminishes their productivity and performance, he pointed out and said nations would also suffer the consequences of their citizens being unhealthy.

''Just as as poverty contributes to ill health, poor health perpetuates poverty. It is, therefore, essential that all societies do their utmost to protect, preserve and promote the health of their young people,'' he said.

Pointing out that right to health is a fundamental human right, he said that respecting and upholding this right for children, who are among the most vulnerable segments of any society, was very important. ''No civilised society can shirk this duty,'' he observed.

However, about 900 million children in the world are undernourished while one third of young people of developing countries are stunted in growth, the Prime Minister lamented.

Environmental changes like global warming threatens famines, floods, epidemics and ecological disarray that will severely compromise human health and may even lead to extinction of life on this planet, he said.

''There are also a growing number of conflicts and terrorist attacks that threaten the peace and well being of people in many parts of the world. Children and young persons are often the innocent victims of senseless and cruel violence,'' Dr Singh pointed out.

Moreover, pandemics like HIV/AIDS and avian flu take a huge toll on families and societies, he said and recommended using education and awareness of youth as an effective tool in the battle against HIV/AIDS.

According to the Prime Minister, gender bias and discrimination faced by girls and women in education, health facilties and nutrition contribute to their ill-health.

UNI