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| Child mortality 'at record low' | Child mortality 'at record low' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Fewer children under the age of five are dying, thanks to immunisation programmes and anti-malaria measures, the UN children's agency, Unicef, says. | |
| Worldwide, the number of young children who died in 2006 dropped below 10 million for the first time, it said. | Worldwide, the number of young children who died in 2006 dropped below 10 million for the first time, it said. |
| Measles vaccinations, mosquito nets and increased rates of breast-feeding were said to have contributed to the fall. | Measles vaccinations, mosquito nets and increased rates of breast-feeding were said to have contributed to the fall. |
| However, experts said most of the deaths were preventable and that more needed to be done. | However, experts said most of the deaths were preventable and that more needed to be done. |
| The Unicef figures are based on government-conducted surveys in more than 50 countries in 2005 and 2006. | The Unicef figures are based on government-conducted surveys in more than 50 countries in 2005 and 2006. |
| See child mortality rates around the world | See child mortality rates around the world |
| Unicef said 9.7 million children under five died in 2006, down from almost 13 million in 1990. | Unicef said 9.7 million children under five died in 2006, down from almost 13 million in 1990. |
| The decline was particularly marked in Morocco, Vietnam and the Dominican Republic, where the number of children dying dropped by a third, Unicef said. | The decline was particularly marked in Morocco, Vietnam and the Dominican Republic, where the number of children dying dropped by a third, Unicef said. |
| The Latin American and Caribbean region is on course to achieve the millennium development goal of reducing child mortality by two-thirds by 2015 - it registered 27 deaths on average for every 1,000 live births in 2006, compared with 55 in 1990. | The Latin American and Caribbean region is on course to achieve the millennium development goal of reducing child mortality by two-thirds by 2015 - it registered 27 deaths on average for every 1,000 live births in 2006, compared with 55 in 1990. |
| WORLDWIDE DEATHS AMONG UNDER-FIVES IN 2006 1990 figures appear in brackets Sub-Saharan Africa: 4.8m (4.1m)Eastern/Southern Africa: 1.9m (1.8m)West and Central Africa: 2.9m (2.4m)Mid East and North Africa: 0.4m (0.7m)South Asia: 3.1m (4.7m) East Asia and Pacific: 0.9m (2m)Latin America/Caribbean: 0.3m (0.6m)Central/E Europe and CIS: 0.2m (0.4m)Industrialised countries:0.1m (0.1m)World:9.7m (12.7m) What's driven the change? | |
| The majority of deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa (4.8 million) and south Asia (3.1 million). | The majority of deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa (4.8 million) and south Asia (3.1 million). |
| Rates were highest in west and central Africa, where HIV and Aids are prevalent. | Rates were highest in west and central Africa, where HIV and Aids are prevalent. |
| The actual numbers of deaths in many parts of Africa rose, although mortality rates were lower. | |
| Ann Veneman, Unicef's executive director, said that dropping below 10 million was an historic moment, but warned that most of the deaths were preventable. | Ann Veneman, Unicef's executive director, said that dropping below 10 million was an historic moment, but warned that most of the deaths were preventable. |
| "We know that lives can be saved when children have access to integrated, community-based health services, backed by a strong referral system," she said. | "We know that lives can be saved when children have access to integrated, community-based health services, backed by a strong referral system," she said. |
| Peter Salama, Unicef's head of global health, called on the global community to invest another $5bn (£2.4bn) to help the UN achieve its millennium development goals. | Peter Salama, Unicef's head of global health, called on the global community to invest another $5bn (£2.4bn) to help the UN achieve its millennium development goals. |
| Millions of deaths could be prevented using currently available health measures, Mr Salama said. | Millions of deaths could be prevented using currently available health measures, Mr Salama said. |
| Among these were campaigns to increase childhood immunisations, the distribution of vitamin A supplements and mosquito nets treated with insecticides, drug treatments for children infected with HIV. | Among these were campaigns to increase childhood immunisations, the distribution of vitamin A supplements and mosquito nets treated with insecticides, drug treatments for children infected with HIV. |
| In sub-Saharan Africa, deaths from measles have been reduced by 75% due to increased vaccination coverage. | In sub-Saharan Africa, deaths from measles have been reduced by 75% due to increased vaccination coverage. |
| In Vietnam, child mortality dropped by about 40% after 30,000 people were trained as health workers and paid to treat people in their own villages, Unicef said. | In Vietnam, child mortality dropped by about 40% after 30,000 people were trained as health workers and paid to treat people in their own villages, Unicef said. |
| Convincing mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children for the first six months of life was also important, the agency said. | Convincing mothers to exclusively breastfeed their children for the first six months of life was also important, the agency said. |
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