text: needs, the World Conference on Education tor All (Jomtien, Thailand, 5-9 March 1990) will incorporate the concept of empowerment through the knowledge and skills detailed in Facts for Life, Meanwhile, the international scouting movements, the Young Womcn^s Christian Association and other international N<;OS are devising their own materials to stimulate use of the Facts for Life initiative at the national level. Just a few mpnths after the UNICEFAVHO/L'NESCO 'tore' edition of Facts for Life went into circulation, an additional 1.5 million copies of national or subuational editions were being circulated or produced in other languages. The messages were interpreted in cartoons and billboards and expressed in the words of puppets as well as by radio, television and newspapers. uAcute respiratory infections Acute respiratory infections rank among the most common diseases affecting children the world over. They are also among the most danger- ous, accounting for 25 to 30 per cent of the 15 million child deaths each year. The vast majority of these deaths is due to pneumonia, which claimed the lives of some four million children under five in 1989. Pneumonia strikes quickly. Rapid deterioration often oc- curs within the first three to five days, and the risk of death is greatest for infants under two months. Awareness of the ARi problem is increasing. Over half of all country reports for 1989 contained separate ARJ sections highlighting the urgency of the problem in statistics for mortal- ity, hospital admissions or visits to health facilities. The development of effective na- tional programmes to control ARI has been slow for .several reasons. First, ARi is not a single syndrome. Effective control programmes require recognition and treatment of pneumonia as well as distinction be- tween pneumonia and coughs and colds. To be successful, ARI pro- grammes must be part of well- functioning health systems in which trained health workers are regularly
analysis: The text discusses the World Conference on Education and the dissemination of information on health issues, specifically acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and pneumonia, which are major causes of child mortality. The text also touches on the development of national programs to control ARIs. These topics suggest that the primary focus is on health and education.