Childhood deaths are declining around the world due to good drugs, rising health awareness, good diet, increased breast feeding and greater use of vaccines. The number of children dying has fallen below 10 million a year for the first time since records began in 1960. Global child death deaths fall from 13 million in 1990 to 9.7 million in 2005. 20 million children died in 1960. If babies were still dying at 1960 rates, 25 million would die this year. UNICEF data is based on the government surveys in more than 50 countries.

Controlling Malaria and Measles played important role in declining in child deaths. Spread of AIDS is the major worrying factor especially in Africa and India. More children are dying in rural areas and poor households of the developing world.

UNICEF’s data is based on government-conducted surveys in more than 50 countries from 2005 to 2006. United Nations set the millennium goal in 1990 to cut the infant mortality by two-thirds by 2015.

The most important advances, according to UNICEF:

1. Vaccination drives cutting measles deaths by 60% since 1999.
2. Women breastfeeding rather than using dirty water.
3. Babies sleeping under mosquito nets.
4. Babies getting vitamin A drops which reduce the risk of measles, diarrhoea and malaria.

Of the 9.7 million children who die each year, 3.1 million are from south Asia, and 4.8 million are from sub-Saharan Africa. West and central Africa have the highest rates of child mortality, with more than 150 deaths per every 1,000 children under five, which compares to six per 1,000 in North America, Western Europe and Japan.

India and China have shown large improvements, whereas the situation has worsened in southern African countries hit by Aids, and in war zones, such as Congo and Sierra Leone. China (47% reduction) and India (34% reduction) made rapid strides in controlling children deaths.The islands of Sao Tome and Principe showed the greatest improvement, cutting child deaths by 48%, mainly due to an anti-malaria campaign which drained swamps and provided mosquito nets.

In Morocco, Vietnam and the Dominican Republic, UNICEF reported that child death rates dropped by more than a third. In Africa, increased vaccination coverage reduced measles deaths by 75 percent. Under-5 mortality has declined 29 per cent between 2000 and 2004 in Malawi. In Ethiopia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda and Tanzania child mortality rates have declined by more than 20 per cent.

How to prevent child deaths?

1. Governments should spend more money on health education. These should educate mothers for better baby care by appointing health workers in rural areas.

2. Proper treatment for common children diseases like Pneumonia, Diarrhoea, AIDS and infectious diseases.

3. Good access to clean drinking water.

4. Breast feeding.

5. Vaccination.

6. Health education to every mother.

7. More awareness on AIDS.

Even though number of child deaths are delining, but rate of progress is showing signs of slow down. Governments of developing countries should aggressively spend more money in protecting future generations.

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