UNICEF reports health achievements in African children

UNICEF has published The State of Africa's Children 2008, a report outlining recent achievements in child survival and primary healthcare in Africa. The report, which complements UNICEF's annual report The State of the World's Children, urges stakeholders to unite to achieve goals for maternal, newborn and child survival. In 2006, nine of the 10 countries with the highest under-five mortality rates were in sub-Saharan African countries. To meet the Millennium Development Goal of reducing child mortality by two thirds, sub-Saharan Africa needs to achieve an annual mortality reduction rate of more than 10% over the next eight years.