Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Children dying before their 5th birthday

Causes of deaths among children under 5 years by percentage (2008)
Bar Chart

Quick Facts

  • The number of children in developing countries who died before they reached the age of five dropped from 100 to 72 deaths per 1,000 live births between 1990 and 2008.
  • Almost nine million children still die each year before they reach their fifth birthday.
  • The highest rates of child mortality continue to be found in sub-Saharan Africa, where, in 2008, one in seven children died before their fifth birthday.
  • Of the 67 countries defined as having high child mortality rates, only 10 are currently on track to meet the MDG target.
A healthy newborn baby in a Philippines hospital. The Government has been working to reduce infant deaths, especially in rural areas.
Essential Care. Photo: Oliver Belarga

Fewer child deaths

Child deaths are falling, but not quickly enough. Between 1990 and 2008, the death rate for children under five has decreased by 28 per cent, from 100 to 72 deaths per 1,000 live births. That means that, worldwide, 10,000 fewer under-fives die each day.
Many countries have shown considerable progress in tackling child mortality. Almost one third of the 49 least developed countries have managed to reduce their under five mortality rates by 40 per cent or more over the past twenty years. However, the current rate of progress is well short of the MDG target of a two-thirds reduction by 2015......

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