Infant and Child Mortality

Infant mortality declined significantly from 39.62 in 2000 to 16.14 per 1000 live births in 2022. Mean under-5 mortality across Asia fell significantly from 46.73 to 18.53 deaths per 1000 live births between 2000 and 2022. Regional inequality in under-5 mortality narrowed alongside the overall decline, with the standard deviation falling from 33.64 to 14.55. The probability of dying before age 5 fell by nearly 40% in the South between 1941 and 1947. Japan, Singapore and Qatar maintained exceptionally low child mortality averages throughout the study period. Under-five mortality accounted for a larger share of female gains in the South than outside the South during the 1940s. After the 1940s, gains became smaller and the share attributable to under-five mortality declined. The steepest reductions in under-5 and infant mortality occurred between 2015 and 2020, coinciding with the transition into the Sustainable Development Goals era. Rapid improvement in infant and child mortality in the South was the main mechanism behind early convergence. Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar had persistently high child mortality burdens throughout the study period, with infant mortality means reac…