SDG target: End preventable deaths of newborns and children under age five, with all countries aiming to reduce under-five mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births.
Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of child mortality and second only to neonatal disorders as a cause of overall child mortality. However, just 3 percent of global research and development spending and 6 percent of global foreign aid spending on infectious diseases goes to pneumonia. Globally, fewer than half of children are currently protected by the leading pneumonia vaccine. A less expensive vaccine may become available soon, which would enable more countries to protect more children and drive down the global child mortality burden.
![under-five mortality graph under-five mortality graph](/goalkeepers/assets/report/2019/indicators/under5/under-5-graph.jpg)
Below is the global progress on this indicator since 1990. Explore progress for specific countries using the drop-down menu below the chart.
Under-five deaths per 1,000 live births
Current projection
If we progress
If we regress