Mortality in Mozambican Children Dropped to Less Than Half in 20 Years

The number of Mozambican children who die before turning 5 has more than halved in 20 years, to 60 per 1,000 live births, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) to which Lusa had access today.

According to INE's Demographic and Health Survey (IDS) 2022-2023, the data refer to the period of the last five years, with the mortality rate for children under 5 years of age decreasing from 201 to 60 per thousand live births, comparing the 1997 IDS with the current one.

In the survey, which covered 14,250 households, it is stated that "the most notable decline was recorded in infant and youth mortality", which decreased from 201 deaths per 1,000 live births in the five-year period prior to the 1997 IDS, to 60 deaths in the five years prior to the 2022--2023 IDS.

The study indicates that, in the period in question, the infant and youth mortality rate (between birth and fifth birthday) was higher in rural areas (63 deaths) than in urban areas (50).

The document points to short intervals between births as one of the main causes, which "are associated with high mortality rates".

"The infant mortality rate of children born less than two years after the previous birth is more than twice as high as that of children born three or more years after the previous birth", he says.

According to the survey, the province of Cabo Delgado (89) has the highest mortality rates for children under 5 years of age, while Tete (30) has low rates.

Among the provinces with the highest mortality rates are Gaza (75), Sofala (73), Nampula (72), Manica (71), Niassa (68) and the city of Maputo (59).

The INE study also states that "the survival of babies and children depends, in part, on the demographic and biological characteristics of their mothers".

It is added that "the probability of death in childhood is much greater among children of adolescent mothers (under 18 years old) or older mothers (over 34 years old), among children born after a short interval between births (less than 24 months after the previous birth) and among children of mothers with high parturition (more than three children)”.

Regarding birth rates, the study highlights that, on average, women in rural areas have 5.8 children, 2.2 more when compared to those in urban areas, adding that the provinces in the north of Mozambique have higher levels high fertility rates compared to the southern region.

Overall, the fertility rate in Mozambique is 4.9 children per woman, the document concludes, which specifies that there are 158 births in a universe of 1,000 women aged between 15 and 19, 224 births between the ages of 20 and 24, numbers that drop to 36 children born between 45 and 49 years old.

"The provinces in the north of the country have the highest levels of fertility, where Niassa stands out, with 6.8 children per woman. The southern provinces have the lowest levels, with the city of Maputo standing out, with 2.1 children per wife", it reads.

With regard to teenage pregnancy, the survey indicates that at least 36% of women aged between 15 and 19 have already been pregnant at least once, highlighting that 29% of women above that age have already had a baby alive, 3% had already had a pregnancy that ended in loss and 8% were pregnant at the time of the survey.

According to the study, the highest levels of teenage pregnancy are found in the provinces of Cabo Delgado (55%) and Niassa (52%), as opposed to the city of Maputo (12%) and the province of Maputo (18%), which have the lowest levels.