Skip to main content
Rho IDP site, Northeastern Congo
War in Gaza:: find out how we're responding
Learn more
Without adequate care, a child’s earliest years can be the most deadly in many low-resource countries.

The health risks for children are more severe the younger the child: as a global average, 85 per cent of childhood deaths occur in children less than five years old, but 47 per cent of those deaths are in the newborn period – the first 28 days of life.

Children under 15 years of age make up more than 60 per cent of patients in our projects, and many arrive in a critical condition or in the late stages of an illness. They are sick because they have not been adequately protected from disease or received appropriate treatment when they needed it. There are still many gaps in appropriate drugs, tools, protocols and staff for treating these young patients.

These are all factors why children under five in low- and middle-income countries continue to lose their lives to infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria, and why newborns are failing to survive their first few days. This is also why older children face poor health long-term, if not death, due to chronic illnesses such as diabetes and epilepsy.

Quick facts about child health

WCD 2023

World Children’s Day 2023: Five wishes from MSF

msf.org.uk

Children are disproportionately affected by humanitarian crises, both directly – for example through the impact of conflict and disasters – as well as indirectly – through heightened vulnerability to consequences such as malnutrition and disease outbreaks.

For World Children’s Day 2023, we want to share with you our ‘wishlist’ for children and some of the work MSF is doing towards these goals. While some of the wishes may seem basic, the sad truth is that large numbers of children are currently facing failures in these areas. We strive to transform these wishes into a tangible reality for children in some of the most challenging environments.

Read our wishlist
Katiola program: Saving mothers and children’s life in Cote d’Ivoire

MSF Paediatric Days

paediatrics.msf.org

Paediatric Days is an event for paediatric field staff, policy makers and academics to exchange ideas, align efforts, inspire and share frontline research to advance urgent paediatric issues of direct concern for the humanitarian field. Paediatric Days focuses on paediatrics because in humanitarian settings, children are the most vulnerable group, with the highest risk of disease and mortality. Visit the Paediatric Days website to learn more.

Visit MSF Paediatric Days website
 
Malnutrition in Chad
Chad

Patient stories, malnutrition in Bokoro region

Voices from the Field 15 Sep 2016
 
Malnutrition in Chad
Chad

Recurring malnutrition, a silent epidemic devastating the country

Project Update 15 Sep 2016
 
hospital in Paoua
Central African Republic

Providing guidance to ensure high quality care

Voices from the Field 13 Sep 2016
 
Nigeria

Malnutrition is the biggest problem in Bama

Voices from the Field 7 Sep 2016
 
South Sudan

Patient story - Nyajuba

Voices from the Field 5 Sep 2016
 
Paediatric department of CRUO, Haiti - following nurse Fleur Riemersma, 16-18 Oct 2015.
Website

MSF Paediatric Days

msf.org
 
Dr Erlend Grønningen - Boost Hospital, Helmand, Afghanistan
Afghanistan

Empty beds are the face of war

Voices from the Field 26 Aug 2016
 
Ngala IDP camp, Nigeria - July 2017
Nigeria

Video: Testimonies from displaced women in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Voices from the Field 23 Aug 2016
 
Syria

People are scared to go to hospitals

Voices from the Field 11 Aug 2016
 
Ansongo hospital in Gao region, northern Mali, where MSF carries out consultations and assists deliveries.
Mali

Recent clashes in the north are hampering the deployment of humanitarian assistance

Project Update 4 Aug 2016
 
Paediatric care in national hospital in Bissau
Guinea-Bissau

Many children would be saved if they arrived at the hospital earlier

Voices from the Field 29 Jul 2016
 
India

MSF calls for affordable pneumonia vaccines ahead of Pfizer’s patent hearing in India

Press Release 28 Jul 2016
Advanced HIV management in Homa Bay
Medical Resource

MSF Field Research

We produce important research based on our field experience. So far, we have published articles in over 100 peer-reviewed journals. These articles have often changed clinical practice and have been used for humanitarian advocacy. All of these articles can be found on our dedicated Field Research website.

Visit site