Global Death Rates Drop for Children 5 or Younger

[HuckleB]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/24/health/24child.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

"Death rates in children under 5 are dropping in many countries at a surprisingly fast pace, according to a new report based on data from 187 countries from 1970 to 2010.

...

On average, death rates have dropped by about 2 percent a year from 1990 to 2010, and in many regions, even some of the poorest in Africa, the declines have started to accelerate, according to the report, which is being published online Sunday by The Lancet, a medical journal. Some parts of Latin America, north Africa and the Middle East have had declines as steep as 6 percent a year.

Other reports in recent years have found similar trends, but the new article, based on more detailed information and what its authors say are improved statistical methods, paints the most optimistic picture yet. Health experts say the figures mean that global efforts to save children’s lives have started working, better and faster than expected.

Vaccines, AIDS medicines, vitamin A supplements, better treatment of diarrhea and pneumonia, insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent malaria and more education for women are among the factors that have helped lower death rates, said Dr. Christopher J. L. Murray, an author of the report and the director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, in Seattle. He said the improvements in Africa were especially encouraging. “The very slow progress in Africa has led some people in global health to argue there should be more emphasis on tackling child mortality outside of Africa, especially India,” Dr. Murray said in an interview. “We think it’s important to call out this accelerated progress. The last thing we’d like to see, when at last something is happening, is to pull the plug and move elsewhere.”

..."

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I think this is good news, fer sure. But I suppose I could be wrong.

Whaddya think?

Cheers!

:toast:

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Does this include the United States??? I am pessimistic about our stats.

[HuckleB]

2. Child mortality rates dropping, study finds, but U.S. lags

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-child-mortality-20100524,0,1483334.story

We're improving, but not at the rate that we should considering our resources. Still, in my opinion, this is good news for the world, overall.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Great news for the world..and sadly, not surprising about the US.

[Dorian Gray]

4. Of course it's wonderful news

Lowering the death rates for children is a wonderful thing.

[LeftishBrit]

5. Very good news!

But of course, there is still a long way to go.

[mzmolly]

6. Good

news, yes.

K and R.

[xchrom]

7. Very good news indeed. Nt