ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is one of the resilient place for the children to survive till touching the age of five years due to delays in receiving appropriate care from a skilled health worker, as per the Pakistan Demographic and health survey (PDHS).
According to Survey, one from every 14 children dies before reaching the age of one year and one in every 11 does not survive to his or her fifth birthday.
The survey reported that the child mortality was significantly higher in Balochistan as compared to other provinces.
While the survival of children have been found significantly higher of those who have been breastfed.
Pakistan is still ranked among the countries with the highest birth rates, Given this progress the targets set in the SDGs become even more ambitious, which state lowering the under –five mortality to 25 deaths per 1,000 live births by 2030. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated the under five mortality rates is at 81.1 as per 1,000 live births in the country while Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) in rural areas is 62 per 1000 live birth and 47 per 1000 live birth in urban areas of the country.
The death rates of the children of fewer than five years are 57 percent and birth rate 43 percent. However, the trends have been in consistent decline over the year. Similar disparities are seen in wealthy and poor households.
PDHS pointed that factors to reduce child mortality include higher levels of the mother’s education, preceding birth interval, size of child at birth and family size.