The United Nations figures revealed astonishing data on child mortality. It stated, around five million children have died before the age of five, with 475 dying in the first month in 2021.
The death ratio could have been prevented with immediate intervention in the health sector. Since 2017, child mortality has increased and is currently becoming alarming.
In the report published by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) on Tuesday, it revealed that the rates have fallen from 2000; however, the progress has decelerated.
Babies born in sub-Saharan African regions are more likely to die 15 times in their infancy compared to babies in Europe or North America.
The report showed a ratio of 1.9 million born dead babies in 2021, with 777 from Sub-Saharan Africa.
As a result, pregnant women are seven times are more likely to endanger the lives of a stillborn infant than women in other regions such as Europe or North America.
Premature birth and pregnancy complications are significant causes of such prolonged deaths. Around 40% of stillbirth deaths occur while in labor. However, if ever one survives, the crucial days are much more fragile with diseases like diarrhea, malaria, and pneumonia.
Even though COVID-19 had no impact on child mortality, the UN reported that the epidemic may have raised future survival risks. With tens of millions of children suddenly susceptible to preventable diseases, the pandemic has fueled one of the largest sustained reversals in worldwide vaccination coverage.
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