Development Cooperation Handbook/Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

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Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

Each year, millions of children die due to lack of hygiene and exclusion from health care services.

The number of children dying in the poorest countries is nearly 20 times higher than those dying in developed countries. In a world that has so many resources and means, allowing such massacre to take place is unacceptable.

The MDG 4 aims at lowering child mortality rates through expanding health care services and addressing determinants of child health.

In the world now, child mortality rates are falling but 22.6 million children still lack access to basic vaccines and an ever increasing number of poor children die before reaching their fifth birthday.

There are still countries like Sierra Leone where governments are unable to provide free primary health care and where the presence of international non-government medical organisations is indispensable for saving lives.

MDG4 - Target

Target: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

Under-five mortality rate
Infant (under 1) mortality rate
Proportion of 1-year-old children immunised against measles

Hard Facts

In 2007, the number of children dying before the age of five has fallen below 10 million per year;
The highest rates of child mortality are in sub-Saharan Africa, where, in 2008, one in seven children died before their fifth birthday;
Rates of exclusive breastfeeding of infants have significantly improved in 16 countries of sub-Saharan Africa over the past decade;
Among 67 countries defined as having high child mortality rates, only 10 are currently on track to meet the MDG target;
Almost one third of the 49 least developed countries have managed to reduce their underfive mortality rates by 40 per cent or more over the past 20 years.

Edited Stories related to the MDG4

Emergency Surgical Hospital - Siera Leone

Goal 4: Reduce child mortality

MDG4 - Target

Edited Stories related to the MDG4

See also