[PRESS RELEASE] Save the Children Calls on Stakeholders: MDG 4 Target

Disasters and inequality could stop the Philippines hitting child mortality MDG target, Save the Children says. 

MANILA, Philippines – Today marks 500 days until the Millennium Development Goals reach their conclusion and the Philippines looks set to miss the target for reducing preventable child deaths.

The 2015 MDG 4 target for Philippines is 20 deaths per 1,000 live births. Whilst there has been some improvement from the 60 deaths per 1000 in 1990, there has been little progress in cutting down neonatal mortality (deaths in the first month of life), which makes up almost half of all under-5 deaths.

Save the Children’s global study on newborn deaths released earlier this year reveals that Philippines is one of the top 10 countries in the world with the greatest gap in equality for newborn deaths between poorest and wealthiest, and between rural and urban households.  Babies born to the poorest and hardest to reach groups are most at risk of dying within few days after birth.