What is Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR)

Globally, the neonatal mortality rate is the highest contributor to all deaths in children under five years of age. Children, particularly newborn infants, continue to face widespread regional disparities in their chances of survival. The year 2015 marked the official end of the period set by the United Nations to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). New targets, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aim to end preventable deaths of newborns and children and to reduce the neonatal mortality rate in all countries. There is a sense of urgency to implement large-scale, high-impact interventions to improve maternal and newborn care before, during, and in the immediate period following birth. Two of the highly successful and widely available interventions to improve neonatal outcome are kangaroo mother care (KMC) and breast-feeding. However, the threat of COVID-19 to ongoing efforts may further compromise the chances of success in improving neonatal mortality, particularly in low- and medium-income countries (LMICs).