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Epidemiology

Infant mortality decreases, but there is still much to be done

A team of experts from the World Health Organization and UNICEF have analyzed the death records of 193 countries and found that, although child mortality has declined worldwide during the last decade, a full six million children die annually from infectious diseases, many of which are easily treatable.

Staff | 13 may 2010

The deadline for the fourth of the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals is fast approaching – that by 2015 infant mortality will have been reduced by two thirds compared to 1990 levels. According to Dr. Robert Black, an author of a study published in The Lancet magazine, to meet this objective it is vital that governments, public health organizations and, in general, all entities that can contribute in some way have precise estimates of mortality rates for each country so that they can accurately adapt their efforts.

The study examines global, regional and national data from 2008 and compares them with data of the previous ten years. Overall, there is a trend towards lower infant mortality during this time. There have also been some notable successes, for example, in 2008, measles and tetanus together were responsible for the death of only 2% of children under five years old.

However, infectious diseases account for 68% of child deaths. Neonatal mortality (infants who die in the first month after birth) has increased by 4% since 2000. According to Dr. Joy Lawn, co-author of the study, this is one aspect where some countries will have to intervene more intensely.

“These findings have important implications for national [health] programs,” said Mickey Chopra, head of UNICEF's health area. “The persistence of diarrhea, pneumonia and malaria, all easily predictable and curable but which remain the leading causes of death in the world, should encouraged us to do more to control these diseases.”

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