UN child mortality has been halved

Since 1990, child mortality has halved worldwide

13/09/2013

Child mortality has halved worldwide since 1990. Accordingly, the number of cases has reduced from 12.6 million to 6.6 million last year, as the UN announced on Friday. Despite the positive development, 18,000 children still die every day whose causes of death could have been avoided in many cases. The figures are based on a survey of the UN Children's Fund UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO)..

Every day, 18,000 children die
Given the positive development, the UN says it is well on its way to reducing child mortality by two thirds of 1990 levels by 2015. Since many children still die of preventable causes, this goal is not sufficient. According to the UN, 17 percent of child deaths were caused by pneumonia and 10 percent by inadequate care for preterm infants. However, the main cause of death among children (45 percent) continues to be the consequences of malnutrition. Most children die in India, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, China and Pakistan. (Ag)

Picture: Helene Souza