HEALTH - ~ Zinc supplement can reduce infant deaths

Giving zinc as a supplement along with antibiotics can
significantlyreduce mortality by lowering treatment failure in
children suffering from serious infections such as pneumonia and
meningitis,according to a study.
The study, reported in the latest issue of the international medical
journal, The Lancet , has found that babies who were given zinc
supplement were 40 per cent less likely to experience treatment
failure and their risk of death was reduced by 43 per cent.
The study covered 700 babies aged between seven and 120 days — 352of
them were given zinc supplement along with thestandard antibiotics and
the others a placebo. It was funded by the Department of Biotechnology
under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.
Speaking to journalists here, DBT Secretary M.K. Bhan said research
had already shown that zinc supplements could help cure diarrhoea and
zinc syrups or dispersible tablets were already available for its
treatment in many countries.
Worldwide, bacterial and other infections account fornearly two-thirds
of deathsin children under five, with around two-fifths of the deaths
occurring within the first month of life. In India, of the one million
neonatal deaths that occur every year, more than a quarter are
attributed to these infections.