New estimates of child deaths for 2008 show that pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria remain the highest causes worldwide, together accounting for 41% of deaths (figure 3). More than 40% of child deaths occur in the neonatal period, and progress in reducing deaths has been slower for newborn deaths than for deaths among children ages one month to five years. Undernutrition contributes to more than one-third of child deaths.3 The majority of these deaths can and must be prevented by increasing coverage for known, affordable and effective interventions. The country profiles highlight important regional and country variations in these causes. For example, estimates for Africa indicate that 29% of all child deaths occur in the neonatal period and that 49% of deaths after this period are due to pneumonia, diarrhoea or malaria.4 In contrast, estimates for South East Asia indicate that about 54% of child deaths occur in the neonatal period and that about 26% of postneonatal deaths are due to pneumonia, diarrhoea or malaria.