This report makes a remarkable and compelling argument for tackling two of the leading killers of children under age 5: pneumonia and diarrhoea. By 2015 more than 2 million child deaths could be averted if national coverage of costeffective interventions for pneumonia and diarrhoea were raised to the level of the richest 20 per cent in the highest mortality countries. This is an achievable goal for many countries as they work towards more ambitious targets such as universal coverage.

There is a tremendous opportunity to narrow the child survival gap between the poorest and better-off children both across and within countries – and to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals – by increasing in a concerted way commitment to, attention on and funding for these leading causes of death that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable children.

Read the full report.