Despite Gains, Child Mortality Not Declining At Pace To Meet MDGs, U.N. Progress Report Says

“The number of children who die before their fifth birthday dropped by 700,000 children between 2010 and 2011, which is not enough to put the world on track meet the United Nation’s goal to cut under-five deaths by two-thirds before 2015, according to a U.N. progress report published Monday,” GlobalPost’s “Pulse” blog reports. “Progress toward the Millennium Development Goal [MDG] to reduce child mortality has accelerated since the U.N. established the target in 2000, according to the report,” the blog writes, and highlights some of the findings. “In all regions of the world, fewer children are dying. But wealthier regions are progressing faster,” “Pulse” notes, writing, “The most progress has been made among children between the ages of one and five, [David Oot, associate vice president of health and nutrition for Save the Children,] said, because interventions for many deadly diseases, like measles and polio, are logistically simpler to address.” In addition, “[w]hile overall child mortality rates have dropped 2.5 percent per year since 1990, infant death rates have declined by just 1.8 percent,” the blog states. “With relatively simple interventions, Oot said it is possible to make significant progress toward the U.N.’s goal before the December 2015 deadline,” according to “Pulse” (Stuart, 7/2).

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