EMBARGOED - 10PM 10/9/09
Sharp fall in child deaths reflects breakthrough in war on poverty
SYDNEY, 10
September 2009 – A landmark study has revealed the number of children dying
from disease and hunger has fallen sharply since 1990 with significant progress being made in
every part of the world.
In 2008, 8.8 million children under the age of five died compared to 12.5 million deaths in 1990,
representing 10,000 fewer deaths per day.
The 28 per cent decline in under-five deaths represents a major breakthrough in the war on
poverty and comes despite the significant spikes in food and fuel prices suffered in 2008.
“It is still a tragedy that 8.8 million children die every year due to poverty, yet thankfully this
death rate is declining rapidly,” UNICEF Australia spokesman Martin Thomas said.
“This is an extraordinary result and is directly attributable to key health interventions such as
immunisations against diseases such as measles, the use of insecticide-treated bed nets to
prevent malaria and Vitamin A supplements.
The new analysis was compiled by UNICEF, the World Health Organisation, the World Bank and
the United Nation’s Population Division as well as a number of academic institutions. It tracks
child deaths from 1990 which marks the first year of the Millennium Development Goals – the
world’s blueprint to halve poverty by 2015.
The Australian Government has partnered with UNICEF and will fund $93.6 million over four
years to provide vaccines, improved nutrition programs, health infrastructure and water and
sanitation.
Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan MP, said: "Out
of all of the Millennium Development Goals, improving child and maternal health is the really big
issue. These new figures are encouraging, but more needs to be done."
Indonesia and Timor-Leste have halved their child mortality rate with decreases of 52.9 per cent
and 49.5 per cent respectively. Asia and Africa still account for 93 percent of all under-five
deaths that occur each year in developing countries.
While these new figures are encouraging, the global rate of improvement is still insufficient to
reach the Millennium Development Goal target to reduce child deaths by two-thirds by 2015.
“Achieving the Millennium Development Goal target of a two-thirds reduction in under-five
mortality by 2015 still demands urgent action and targeted resources,” Mr Thomas said.
Contact:
Martin Thomas
0401 332 399
MEDIA RELEASE
mthomas@unicef.org.au
Martha Tattersall
0421 570 393
mtattersall@unicef.org.au
NEWS 
