Child Mortality in Africa

Abstract

Infectious diseases are a leading cause of death worldwide, more especially in low and middle-income countries, particularly in young children. Infectious diseases were responsible for the largest global burden of premature death and disability until the end of the twentieth century. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in 2016, about three infectious diseases were ranked in the top ten causes of death globally; namely, lower respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, and tuberculosis, which have cumulatively killed about 5.7 million people [1]. It has been reported that in Africa, more than 70.0% of deaths among children under 5 are caused by infectious diseases [2]. Malaria causes about 15.0% of deaths among under 5 years of age children in sub-Saharan Africa. Since 1970, the global under-five mortality has been decreasing. Smallpox was responsible for about 300-500 million deaths in the twentieth century and it was declared to be the first disease eradicated from the planet as a result of a global immunization campaign by the World Health Organization. Poliovirus has been eliminated from almost all countries [1].