World child mortality dropped to 19,000

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- Thirty years ago, 46,000 children died every single day worldwide, but today that number is below 19,000, a U.S. agency official said.

Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, the federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid, said the progress was extraordinary, but a child dying anywhere in the world is a tragic loss and undermines peace and stability.

"This year, the United States co-hosted a 'Child Survival Call to Action' that challenged the world to reduce child mortality to below 20 child deaths per 1,000 live births in every country by 2035," Shah said in a statement.

"Assuming countries already on track continue to make progress at their current rates, achieving this target will save an additional 5.6 million children's lives every year. That means 50 million more children will survive and thrive."

Everyone is responsible for the survival of the world's children, Shah said.

"If we act now, we can usher in an end to preventable child death, which would be a great accelerator for reducing population growth, spurring economic progress, and creating a more secure world," Shah said.