To the editor:
Headlines on child survival in places like Gaza and the Ukraine have gotten more and more alarming. We now know that almost 5 million children worldwide will likely die before they reach their fifth birthday.
While violent conflict and disease help drive this grim statistics, malnourishment is the underlying cause for half of these deaths.
Nutrition for Growth (N4G) is a funding partnership that channels much-needed resources toward proven nutrition programs. The opportunity to direct funds toward N4G only comes up every four years in conjunction with the Olympics—and it’s happening right now.
Proper nutrition can make or break a child’s chance at surviving illness and the other harms of dire poverty. I urge the Biden Administration to make a bold pledge to N4G as soon as possible. This alone will save lives. It will also send a strong signal to other world leaders to follow our lead and prioritize nutrition and child survival.
William Deignan
Medford
