There are not many things in the world which could be compared to the joy of having a baby but these 10 Countries with Highest Infant Mortality Rates can hurt, especially if you have a newborn at home. Taking care of your kids is something that every parent enjoys – it is not only enjoyable but also very important since children at young age are known to have a weak immune system that is often unable to fight the scary diseases. No matter how much we care for our kids, some facts about the mortality rates continue to haunt the parents around the world.
The most vulnerable age for kids is between the time of their birth and until the age of 5. This is the time when your child is most at risk of developing diseases that may prove out to be fatal or leave your kid affected permanently throughout the rest of his life. It might sound scary but more than 9 million children die annually in the world, and that too before turning five. The worst part is that more than 98% of these cases get reported in developing countries, where the healthcare structure is often the poorest. There are various reasons for high mortality rates that may include premature births, infections, birth injuries, complications during the time of delivery and many others. Another common factor that has a major impact on mortality rates of any country is the weight of the baby at the time of birth. People in most poor countries can’t afford to provide the food that can fulfill the requirement for nutrition needed for mothers; this often leads to newborns having lesser weight than normal. Social and environmental factors in developing countries often restrict its general public to seek medical assistance in such cases, which also contributes to rise in mortality rate.
10. Nigeria
Nigeria is an African country, which has some serious health relates problems and on top of that its mortality rate is almost touching 74.1. The health related issues and mortality rates are directly related to each other and its prime example is Nigeria.
9. Burkina Faso
With infant mortality rate of 76.8, Burkina Faso is a country in Africa which is troubled by its non-functioning healthcare system.
8. Angola
Angola is one of the largest countries in Africa but the current condition of its healthcare and education is not much different when we compare the numbers to the rest of the continent. Infant mortality rate here is almost touching 80.
7. Niger
Most people confuse it with Nigeria. Niger is a different country of Africa. It is a landlocked country and it is named after the famous Niger River. Niger is no different either when it comes to worst healthcare setup and infant mortality rate here is 86.3.
6. Chad
Number six on our list of 10 countries with highest infant mortality rates is Chad. From here onwards every country we would be discussing will have infant mortality rates over 90. Chad has an infant mortality rate of slightly over 90.
5. Guinea-Bissau
Not a very famous country in Africa, Guinea-Bissau has an infant mortality rate of 90.9. There are many factors that contribute to this rate like poor sanitation, low awareness and unavailability of life-saving drugs.
4. Central African Republic
With Chad in its neighbor, Central African Republic also has same health problems. Infant mortality rate here is 92.9.
3. Somalia
Somalia is one of the most famous countries in Africa. It is also well-known when we talk about the poor state of health conditions in the world. The most disturbing factor about Somalia’s health condition is its infant mortality rate which is an unbelievable 100.1.
2. Mali
Mali is a small country in West Africa but not all that small when it comes to discussing problems related to health and sanitation. Other than HIV, malaria, diarrhea, etc. Mali also has an infant mortality rate of 104.
1. Afghanistan
It might come as a surprise to some but the number one in our list of 10 Countries with Highest Infant Mortality Rates is a country from Asia. Afghanistan has an infant mortality rate of 117.2. The overall health condition of this country might not be as bad as some of the African countries mentioned above. Large numbers of women are not allowed to go outside and are forced to have babies at home, with unprofessional and unqualified medical workers assisting through the labor process.
