More than 10 million children die each year in the developing world, most from illnesses which can easily be cured. In developing countries 1 of every 10 children will die before they reach age five. In developed countries only 1 out of every 143 children born will die.
In the 1990s there was a sudden slow in effort countries made towards reducing child mortality and many nations have been slow to regain the pace they had in the 1990's.
The rate of child mortality has been linked to both poverty and situations where resources are already strained by other wide-spread health problems. Almost 70% of child death's are cause by disease and/or malnutrition. On average in low-income countries the under-five mortality rate is about 121 deaths per 1,000; in low to middle income countries 40; and 22 in to middle high income countries. In high income countries, the rate was less than 7 (figures from 2000).
High income countries such as America, Britain, Australia and France have the ability to provide young children with the services they need to survive - care, nutrition and medical facilities. Medical care is especially important to protect children against lung infections, measles, diarrhoea and malaria which are the four biggest killers of children under five in developing countries as well as malnutrition.
