It wasn't all bad
For the first time since it began keeping records, 47 years ago, UNICEF has determined that the number of annual deaths among young children has fallen below 10 million. Last year, 9.7 million children around the world died before reaching age 5, down from about 20 million in 1960. Among the chief reasons for the drop, UNICEF officials said, were increased vaccinations; wider use of mosquito netting and anti-malarial measures; and the growing popularity of breast-feeding in place of formulas that often are mixed with polluted water. “We feel we’re at a tipping point now,” said UNICEF’s chief medical officer, Dr. Peter Salama. “In a few years’ time, it will all translate into a very exciting drop.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
San Francisco tackles affordability problems with free child careThe Explainer The free child care will be offered to thousands of families in the city
-
How realistic is the Democratic plan to retake the Senate this year?TODAY’S BIG QUESTION Schumer is growing bullish on his party’s odds in November — is it typical partisan optimism, or something more?
-
Taxes: It’s California vs. the billionairesFeature Larry Page and Peter Thiel may take their wealth elsewhere
