The preventive actions of health and nutrition of poor children done by the volunteers of Pastoral da Criança contributed decisively to reduce the infant mortality in the country in the last thirty years. In 2012, Brazil achieved one of the goals established by the United Nations (UN) in the document “Millennium Development Goals”. The current number of deaths is 16 per thousand live births, below the goal of 17.9 deaths per thousand, indicated by the UN and that should be achieved by 2015.
When Pastoral da Criança began its actions in 1983 the Brazilian infant mortality rate were almost 80 per thousand live births. The methodology developed by the pediatric doctor and hygienist Dr. Zilda Arns Neumannn in the pilot project in Florestópolis (Paraná, South of Brazil) was reapplied during the past 30 years by all states and benifited more 21 countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Today, 202 thousand volunteers follow up 1.3 million children below six years old, 70 thousand pregnant women and one million of families in 35.6 thousand communities of all Brazilian states. The infant mortality rate in our communities is 8.8 deaths per thousand live births, according to IBGE (2010 Census)it is less than the national average of 15.6 deaths per thousand live births. Also the level of malnutrition in the these communities is lower (1.6%) if compared to the national average: 2.8%.
The new challenges of Pastoral da Criança
With the reduction of the infant mortality rate in most of the cities and the malnutrition under control in the country, Pastoral da Criança is aiming new challenges. With focus on the promotion of total development of the child, new projects are highlighted such as the Nutritional Surveillance, to prevent child obesity, and the cares in the First Thousand Days (pregnancy plus the first two years) of life of the child.
These projects and other themes integrate the program of the National Congress in Aparecida (São Paulo, Southeast of Brazil), from July 28 to August 2, 2013, and will gather almost 500 participants among coordinators of Pastoral da Criança in the states, sectors and nucleus, the national team, speakers and guests. There will also be 27 representatives of the Pastoral da Criança from other countries as the Philippines, Angola, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Peru and Paraguay.
The Nutritional Surveillance project is already being expanded all over the country. Besides weighting, the volunteers will measure the height of the children. With the age, weight and height it is possible to know the Body Mass Index (BMI) adequate for each child. “With the diagnose given by the program, the community leader can better orientate the mother about the healthy feeding, the physical activities and how to help her child”, says the epidemiologist doctor Nelson Arns Neumannn, national associated coordinator of the Pastoral da Criança.
Pastoral da Criança is strengthening its actions on the care of the First Thousand Days. The activity considers the advances on the prevention area brought by the researches of the British epidemiologist David Barker. According to the study, the obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart problems – chronic diseases of the adult population – can be prevented in the first thousand days of the child's life.
The prenatal visits and tests, control of blood pressure, good nutrition, the abstention of cigarettes and alcohol are not only important for the birth of a healthy baby, but also fundamental for the development of the child and can ensure a healthy adult life. Despite the information about the badness of smoking during the pregnancy, the number of smoking women increased, especially in the poorest layers of the population. The cigarette is one of the elements that make the child loose weight during pregnancy. “Another conclusion of this research is that children with low birth weight (below 2.5 kg) are more vulnerable to heart diseases”, says Neumann.
The socio-economic changes of the country and the advance of new technologies are other issues to be considered in the meeting of Aparecida. “The changes happening always quicker affect the actions of Pastoral da Criança and the families we follow up”, observes Clóvis Boufleur, manager of institutional relations of the entity and representative of CNBB (National Conference of Bishops of Brazil) in the National Health Council. “We will discuss how to add new technologies to the process of information and communication so the actions of the Pastoral da Criança become nimble”, concluded Boufleur.
Service:
Pastoral da Criança National Congress – 30 years
Date: July 28 to August 2, 2013
Place: Father Vitor Coelho de Almeida Events Center
Opening: July 28, 2pm
Celebration of the 30 years: July 29, 7pm
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone: + 55 (41) 2105 0250/0229