Malawi’s Child Mortality Rate Dropped 72% With A Program Any Poor Country Can Replicate

A new report found that 78 percent of surveyed countries face overwhelming obstacles in reducing deaths in children. But Malawi’s notable progress proves impoverished countries are capable of keeping more kids alive.

Save the Children’s “Lottery of Birth” report, released on Wednesday, assessed 87 low- and middle-income countries’ child and maternal mortality rates. While many of the findings were deterring, the study noted that a number of underserved countries, including Malawi, have made significant strides in these health areas with replicable programs.

Since 1990, the African country has reduced its child mortality rates by 72 percent.

Malawi, Bangladesh and Rwanda — which were all heralded in the report for their child and maternal health progress — still severely lack quality health services and well-trained health workers. Advocates say resolving that issue is key to curbing preventable deaths.

“In this day and age, it is unacceptable that so many children’s chances of survival across the world are purely a matter of whether or not they were lucky enough to be born into an affluent family who can access quality healthcare,” Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children, said in a statement. “We know that change is possible. We now have a significant window of opportunity to drive this change.”

The Huffington Post