UNITED NATIONS: Millions of children still die before reaching their fifth birthday every year, according to the 2016 State of The World’s Children Report released here Tuesday by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The report, which is released annually, shows that a country’s income does not always determine progress in child mortality. Many poorer countries are outpacing their richer neighbours in reducing their mortality rates, and some rapidly growing economies – including India and Nigeria – have been in the slower lane for reducing child mortality.
The picture is unequal within rich countries too. The United States has a higher infant mortality rate than most high-income countries, and the odds of survival are closely linked to racial inequality: In 2013, infants born to African American parents were more than twice as likely to die as those born to white Americans.
By 2030, five countries will account for more than half of the global burden of under-five deaths: India (17 percent), Nigeria (15 percent), Pakistan (8 percent), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (7 percent) and Angola (5 percent).
Without increased international action in the next fifteen years, 69 million children under five will die from mostly preventable causes.
For approximately 1 million children in 2015, their first day of life was also their last.
Please click here to read more.