The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) has said the South Africa infant mortality dropped by 32 per cent between 2002 and 2017.
According to the IRR, this improvement aligns with a sharp increase in the rate of antenatal first visits by pregnant women.
“Analyst Tawanda Makombo said the drop in the infant mortality rate – which measures the deaths of infants under one year per 1 000 live births in a year – coincides with a 96 per cent improvement in the rate of antenatal first visits since 2006,” the IRR said.
The IRR went on to say that the rate of antenatal first visits measures the proportion of pregnant women who visit antenatal clinics for the first time before 20 weeks of their pregnancy over the number of women who had at least one antenatal visit before delivery.
The IRR noted further that …
– Between 2002 and 2017, the infant mortality rate decreased from 48,1 per 1 000 live births to 32,8 per 1 000 live births
– The rate of antenatal first visits increased by 96 per cent between 2006 and 2016, from 31,3 per cent to 61,2 per cent.
According to Makombo, the statistics reveal telling gains in the health sector in South Africa, but she argued that more can be done to further reduce the infant mortality rate.
“The National Department of Health must intensify public awareness efforts, and persuade more pregnant women to visit health practitioners for regular check-ups before and after giving birth, as this is essential for their babies’ health,” the IRR added.
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