The death rate for children younger than 5 has dropped about 40% in the past 20 years.

The death rate for children younger than 5 has dropped about 40% in the past 20 years.: The worldwide mortality rate for children younger than 5 years old decreased by 40% from 1990 to 2010, even in areas where the local economy did not improve. Global education programs emphasizing vaccines, family planning, nutrition and sanitation went into effect in 1985 and are thought to be a major key in reducing children's deaths from preventable conditions, such as diarrhea, pneumonia or malnutrition. A demand in increased government spending for accessible healthcare is also thought to be a component in treating deadly childhood diseases before they progress.



The death rate for children younger than 5 has dropped about 40% in the past 20 years.