Millennium goal: Reduce child mortality
Target: Reduce by two thirds the mortality rate among children under 5

Improving child survival rates around the world

Over the past 25 years, significant progress has been made in improving children’s health. In 1975, less than 5 percent of the world’s children were immunized against major childhood diseases. Today, almost 80 percent are vaccinated.

Yet more can be done. Every year, nearly 10 million children in developing countries die from preventable causes. To improve their chances for survival, children at risk need increased protection from malaria-carrying mosquitoes, better nutrition, and antibiotics for pneumonia.

In Africa alone, approximately one million children die each year from malaria. Canada is the top donor country in funding anti-malarial bed nets—the most proven way to fight this disease and save lives. Since 2004, it has helped distribute over 6.3 million mosquito nets to protect African families.

Building on successful partnerships in international healthcare, Canada is now leading the global Initiative to Save a Million Lives—a new effort to provide basic, cost-effective health services to mothers and children in developing countries around the world.

© CIDA PHOTO: Roger Lemoyne

Did you know? In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in every 6 children dies before the age of five. Source: UNICEF, The State of the World’s Children 2008 Only about 50 percent of children in sub-Saharan Africa are immunized during their first year of life. Source: UNICEF Seven out of 10 childhood deaths in developing countries can be attributed to a few main causes: acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, measles and malaria. Source: UNICEF The number of children under 5 worldwide dying from diarrhea is estimated at almost 2 million per year. Source: UNICEF, The State of the World’s Children 2008

• Improve maternal health

Mapping child mortality around the world