Inside Story

Can child mortality be reduced?

UN children’s agency says world is failing newborn babies with 7,000 deaths every day, mostly from preventable causes.

The UN’s children’s agency says the world is failing newborn babies. At least 7,000 of them die every day, mostly from preventable causes.

A report by UNICEF found infants born in some of the poorest countries are significantly more likely to die than those in rich nations.

Countries such as Pakistan, Somalia, Central African Republic, Afghanistan and Lesotho have the highest rate of newborn deaths.

So, what can be done to reduce newborn deaths?

Presenter: Peter Dobbie

Guests:

Dr Shershah Syed – Founder of the Pakistan National Forum on Women’s Health

Dr Willibald Zeck – Head of UNICEF’s Global Maternal and Child health programme