WHO provides statistics on child deaths

Geneva, 10 May-(ANA)-Improving newborn care in the first month of life is essential for reducing child deaths in developing countries, a global update on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) released today has shown.

The update in the World Health Statistics 2010, revealed that Globally about 40% of deaths in children under five years old are estimated to occur in the first month of life, most of which occur in the first week.

 The report shows that deaths among children under five have dropped by 30% from 12.5 million in 1990 to 8.8 million in 2008.

 With five years remaining to the MDG deadline in 2015, the percentage of underweight children is estimated to have declined from 25% in 1990 to 16% in 2010, HIV infections dropped 16% between 2001 and 2008  and the percentage of the world’s population with access to safe water has increased from 77% to 87%, enough to reach the MDG target.(ANA)

FA/ANA/10 May 2010-------