Child mortality reduction: a contrasting picture across the world

Across the world, one newborn in twenty-two dies before his or her first birthday, and among those who survive, a further one in forty-three dies over the next four years. Altogether, almost 7% of newborns die before the age of five. The ine-qualities in child mortality between countries are vast. While in the most developed countries, under-five mortality has plummeted, and now stands at 0.5% or less, it is above 10% in many southern countries, notably in sub-Saharan Africa. Many children still die of infectious diseases that could be prevented by vaccination, one of the simplest and most cost-effective medical procedures in terms of disease prevention and mortality reduction.