Did the Millennium Development Goals Change Trends in Child Mortality?. (4th August 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: French, Declan
• Is Part Of: Health economics. Volume 25:Number 10(2016)
• Page Start: 1312
• Page End: 1325
• Publication Date: 2015-08-04
• Subjects: Millennium Development Goals -- child mortality; Medical economics -- Periodicals; Economics, Medical -- Periodicals; Health Care Costs -- Periodicals; Health Policy -- economics -- Periodicals; Health Services -- economics -- Periodicals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1002/hec.3218
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1057-9230

Abstract

Abstract: There has been little assessment of the role the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have had in progressing international development. There has been a 41% reduction in the under‐five mortality rate worldwide from 1990 to 2011 and an acceleration in the rate of reduction since 2000. This paper explores why this has occurred, and results for all developing countries indicate that it is not due to more healthcare or public health interventions but is driven by a coincidental burst of economic growth. Although the MDGs are considered to have played an important part in securing progress against poverty, hunger and disease, there is very little evidence to back this viewpoint up. A thorough analysis of the successes and failures of the MDGs is therefore necessary before embarking on a new round of global goals. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.