INFANT MORTALITY

Infant Mortality in South Africa

Infant Mortality in South Africa

Introduction

South Africa has a high level of infant mortality caused by the broad range of social and biological factors that lead to an increase in the infant mortality rate in the country. The millennium development goal of reducing the number of infant mortalities in countries where the level of infant mortality has increased over the time remains a challenge in South Africa. South Africa is located in the Sothern view of Africa and sub Saharan desert having a population of around 48 million people. The country has a high level of poverty, and many of people have an average per day income of $ 1 in USD (UNDP, 2007).

The lower level of income and a higher level of poverty have caused several healthcare problems in the country. One of the prevailing issues in the health care industry of south Africa is the increasing number of infant mortality which is a challenge for the whole world. The poor services of health care industry caused by the lower income of people and lower growth in the economy of the country have led to diseases such as AIDS (HIV), compelling diseases and low birth rates. They affect the respiratory system, causes neonatal infections and diarrhoea in the people of South Africa. The poor quality of treatment to these diseases causes complications in the pregnant women, and they give birth to either dead babies or the infants having acute diseases. The severe and complicated diseases in the infants lead to infant mortality (Sankoh et al., 2001).

Indicators of Infant Mortality

There is a wide gap between the knowledge of the factors that cause the infant mortality in South Africa. In order to effectively review the identification of causes and analyzing the treatment of infant mortality in South Africa, it is essential to evaluate and understand the indicators of infant mortality in South Africa. There are several indicators of infant mortality in South Africa. Some of the indicators are developed in order to efficiently analyze the implications of MDG to alleviate poverty and infant mortality in the country (Balk et al., 2004).

Infant Mortality Rate

The infant mortality rate is the widely used indicator for assessing the number of infant deaths in South Africa. Infant mortality rate IMR defines the rate of infant deaths by analyzing the life expectancy and at the time of birth or after birth survival of the infant. The infant mortality rate provides the status of the health conditions of a country which could help in devising strategies for the prevention of infant mortality by devising quality health care services. The infant mortality rate is used as an indicator of infant mortality to assess the socioeconomic situation and development among several countries. The data obtained from infant mortality rate comes from the registration system in the hospitals through direct and indirect approximation and estimates through the use of sample census and surveys in the country (Marmot, 2005).

Age specific infant mortality rate

The infant mortality rate in the ...