Zinc supplement can reduce infant deaths

Giving zinc as a supplement along with antibiotics can significantly reduce mortality by lowering treatment failure in children suffering from serious infections such as pneumonia and meningitis, according to a study.

The study, 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.

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 for nearly two-thirds of deaths in 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.