WINDHOEK, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has called on Namibia to intensify efforts to reduce child mortality, warning that the country is unlikely to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for child health at its current pace.
Speaking at the inaugural Quality Management Conference in the Namibian capital of Windhoek, Samuel Kweku Ocran, UNICEF country representative, highlighted that while Namibia has made progress in reducing deaths among children under the age of five since independence, the rate of decline is too slow, particularly for the newborn deaths.
According to the UN Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimations report published in March 2024, deaths among children under-fives reduced from 40 per 1,000 live births in 2020 to 38 per 1,000 live births in 2023. The current rate of under-five deaths reduction in Namibia is projected to miss the SDG target for health (3.2.1) by 2030 and only achieve the target in 2038, Ocran said.
He stressed the need for sustainable programs that can be integrated into the government's plans and budgets.
Namibia launched the inaugural Quality Management Conference aimed at advancing healthcare standards across the country. The three-day event gathers healthcare professionals, policymakers, and international partners to discuss strategies for enhancing the quality of healthcare services in Namibia.
Namibia's infant mortality rate in 2024 stands at 26.414 deaths per 1,000 live births, a 3.06 percent decrease from the previous year, according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of Health and Social Services. ■