In the 2009 World Health Statistics, the annual compilation made by WHO based on data from its 193 member states, we found positive news, although there is still much to do.
Notes that the mortality of children under 5 has decreased by 27% between 1990 and 2007. Although there are still a lot of preventable deaths, they have gone from 12.5 million to 9 million in 17 years.
Halfway through the period between 2000 and 2015, a goal to achieve the Millennium Goals, the progress is quite encouraging. The focus is mainly on reducing neonatal mortality rates, one of the most pressing focuses.
It is estimated that 37% of deaths of children under five years occur in the first month of life, most in the first week.
Vaccines, the use of oral rehydration therapies during episodes of diarrhea and something as simple as the use of mosquito nets with insecticide are being a great help for fewer children to die. It is also remarkable that 65% of world births are attended by qualified personnel.
Anyway, these advances depend on many things and there is still much to improve in aspects such as sanitation and access to drinking water, as well as the availability of medicines. But of course it is a small hope to know that more and more lives are saved. Too bad that some still have so little.
