Child mortality across the globe has fallen dramatically in the last 25 years.
The number of children who die before their fifth birthday has been reduced by 53% since 1990, according to UN figures.
But the millennium development goal was for a two-thirds reduction by the end of 2015 and officials say it has been clear for some time that the goal will not be reached.
Children are still dying from preventable causes before their fifth birthday – some indeed within the first month of life which, Unicef’s deputy director said, “should impel us to redouble our efforts”.
In 1990 the number of preventable early deaths was 12.7 million which dropped to about 5.9 million now. This remains a remarkable achievement. Nevertheless, the agency report says 16,000 children die every day before they see their fifth birthday.
Infants less than one month of age account for 45% of those deaths. They are susceptible to pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria as well as birth complications and prematurity.
Sub-Saharan Africa was singled out for the largest number of deaths, accounting for half the mortality, with nearly one-third of deaths occurring in south-east Asia.
On the positive side, 62 nations (about 30% of all countries in the world) have reduced child have reached the two-thirds goal and another 74 have cut child mortality by a half.
Despite all the odds, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania have all met the millennium target.
The knowledge exists and the steps can be simple and affordable to save newborns.
“We know how to prevent unnecessary newborn mortality. Quality care around the time of childbirth including simple affordable steps like ensuring early skin-to-skin contact, exclusive breastfeeding and extra care for small and sick babies can save thousands of lives every year,” said Dr Flavia Bustreo, assistant director general at the World Health Organisation.
