Child deaths fall slightly in 2007: UN

More than 9 million children globally died before their fifth birthday in 2007, down slightly from 2006, but a huge gap remains between rich and poor countries, especially in Africa, UNICEF said on Friday.

Efforts to promote breastfeeding, immunizations and anti-malaria measures have helped cut child deaths to 9.2 million from 9.7 million a year ago and 12.7 million in 1990, the figures from the United Nations Children's Fund showed.

"Since 1960, the global under-five mortality rate has declined more than 60 percent, and the new data shows the downward trend continues," UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman said.