The most recent estimates of the proportion of mortality in developing countries by cause are provided by the Disease Control Priorities Project (DCPP) 2006 publication “Global Burden of Disease and Risk Factors”, and the March 2006 World Health Organisation (WHO) Bulletin. These publications also explain the difficulties involved in measuring and estimating causes of mortality, for example for countries where up-to-date data and information may be lacking. Such estimates can therefore not be accurately provided on a year-on-year basis.
The DCPP publication reports that in 2001, the latest year for which estimates are provided, HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and road traffic accidents accounted for 5.3 per cent., 3.3 per cent., 2.5 per cent. and 2.2 per cent. respectively, of all deaths in low and middle income countries. As these countries develop, the proportion of mortality attributable to non-communicable disease causes—including road traffic accidents—is expected to rise.