Climate change and neonatal survival: the case of Ethiopia
Authors: Leonore Albers, Jos van Roosmalen, Abera K Tura
Journal: The Lancet Global Health (2016)

Ethiopia's successes and ambitions, highlighted in The Lancet Global Health's January Editorial,1Mullan Z Transforming health care in Ethiopia.Lancet Glob Health. 2016; 4: e1Summary Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (15) Google Scholar are threatened by the present drought, a result of failed seasonal rains worsened by El Niño. Drought resulting in poor agricultural yields is already having a highly destructive effect on the health of more than 10 million people in Ethiopia, including 1·7 million children, and pregnant and lactating women. Since August, 2015, severe acute malnutrition in children is on the rise, comparable in its effects with the Horn of Africa drought in 2011.2Government of Ethiopia and Humanitarian PartnersEthiopia humanitarian requirements document.http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ethiopia_hrd_2016.pdfDate: 2016Google Scholar Malnutrition, wasting, or kwashiorkor, in children causes weight loss and stunting as a result of prolonged food deprivation. Such problems not only threaten child survival, but can also have a lifelong effect on cognitive ability, mental functioning, and the ability to cope with infection.3UNICEF MozambiqueA battle against malnutrition, a battle against infant mortality.https://www.dkv-euroservice.com/gb/media/content/documents_1/benefits/toll_9/belgium/info_mosambique_unicef.pdfGoogle Scholar Moreover, stunting in women predicts cephalopelvic disproportion and difficult childbirths, which increase rates of operative delivery and maternal and neonatal mortality.4Van Roosmalen J Brand R Maternal height and the outcome of labor in rural Tanzania.Int J Gynecol Obstet. 1992; 37: 169-177Summary Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (36) Google Scholar That only 16% of Ethiopian mothers are assisted by skilled birth attendants might exacerbate this danger.5Central Statistical Agency [Ethiopia]Ethiopia mini demographic and health survey 2014. Central Statistical Agency, Addis Ababa2014Google Scholar The country's Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP) aims to improve access to health care, including bringing about a reduction in neonatal mortality to 20 per 1000 livebirths by 2020.1Mullan Z Transforming health care in Ethiopia.Lancet Glob Health. 2016; 4: e1Summary Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (15) Google Scholar There is a need for ongoing investment in neonatal health in the country for this HSTP goal to be achieved, including effective preventive measures, such as supplementary food and targeted cash transfers for the most vulnerable households, in addition to the proposed transformation of health services at district level.6Langendorf C Roederer T de Pee S et al.Preventing acute malnutrition among young children in crises: a prospective intervention study in Niger.PLoS Med. 2014; 11: e1001714Crossref Scopus (64) Google Scholar At least in the short term, Ethiopia has called for international support and immediate food assistance,2Government of Ethiopia and Humanitarian PartnersEthiopia humanitarian requirements document.http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ethiopia_hrd_2016.pdfDate: 2016Google Scholar to ensure that the country's development gains of the past decade are preserved and to allow progress in population health outcomes to continue. We declare no competing interests.