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Public health expert to address global child death epidemic

CONTACT: Tory Olson, 515-271-1834, tory.olson@drake.edu

Child mortality in the developing world remains a hidden epidemic, but will come to light in a guest lecture at Drake University by pediatrician John Murray on Tuesday, March 30.

Murray’s free, public talk, “9 Million Child Deaths: Where? Why? What Should Be Done?” will begin at 7 p.m. in Bulldog Theatre in Olmsted Center, 2875 University Ave.

In spite of simple, low-cost interventions that could prevent and treat illness, child mortality rates are an issue often neglected by policy makers and funders. Murray will review where children are dying, what most prevalently causes death and how deaths can be prevented.

He also will explain why simple interventions do not always reach children who need them and what approaches are being taken to overcome barriers.

Originally of Adelaide, South Australia, Murray holds a medical degree from the University of Adelaide and a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

A specialist in epidemic dysentery and cholera in Africa and Asia, he has worked full time since 1995 on child health programs in developing countries. First serving with the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, he has most recently been a consultant to WHO, UNICEF and several non-governmental organizations.

Murray has worked on the planning and development of child health programs in Bangladesh, Burundi, China, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana and Nepal, and provided technical assistance to several other countries. His area of interest is the development and implementation of practical program monitoring and evaluation methods for child health programs.

The lecture is sponsored by Drake University’s Center for Global Citizenship. The center educates students to function effectively in different cultural contexts, and to see their own culture from the perspective of others. The Center also works to ensure that global perspectives and issues are an integral part of the intellectual and cultural experience of all members of the Drake community.

For more information and a list of upcoming events, visit the Drake Center for Global Citizenship’s Spring 2010 schedule at https://wwww.drake.edu/international/cgc/eventss10.php or call 515-271-2117.