MDG 4 - Reduce Child Mortality - CIDA

Target

• Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate

MDGs 4 and 5― A Leading Role in Reducing Child Mortality and Improving Maternal Health
(PDF 147 KB, 3 pages)

Overview

Many childhood illnesses can be prevented through proper nutrition, healthcare, and basic medical treatment. Yet every year, approximately 8.8 million children under the age of five die from preventable illnesses.

In many countries, the major causes of ill health and death among children continue to be malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and a lack of basic infrastructure and access to good quality primary health care. Four diseases―pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, and AIDS―accounted for 43 percent of all deaths in children under five worldwide in 2008. Most of these lives could have been saved through low-cost prevention and treatment measures. Discrimination against women and girls also exists within families, often resulting in boys being given preference for food and access to healthcare, while girls may be denied treatment and care.

While some regions are on track to achieve MDG 4 by 2015, many countries remain behind, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where some countries have experienced increases in child mortality due to HIV/AIDS.
MDG 4 - Reduce Child Mortality - CIDA