Romanian Child Mortality Triggered By Poverty, Lack Of Information, Health Sector Problems

Save the Children Romania launched on Tuesday a program aimed to reduce death rate among children. Data presented during the event showed the child mortality rate in Romania hits 10.1 per one thousand live births, while the average child death rate in the EU is of 4.59 per one thousand live births.

According to Eurostat, the premature death rate decreased over the past years: 26.9 in 1990, 18.6 in 2000 and 11.99 in 2009. On the other hand, the number of newborns decreased in 2010 compared to the same interval last year.

Save the Children Romania executive manager Gabriela Alexandrescu said the premature birth rate, a major risk factor in infant death, in Romania hits 9%, double compared to the situation in other EU member states. She stressed that Romania registers the highest number of infant deaths in the EU.

About 50% of the total number of infant deaths is caused by congenital disorders and other problems occurring during delivery, and 30% of death cases are triggered by infectious diseases or breathing problems.

Health Ministry state secretary Raed Arafat said infant mortality is caused not only by problems in the healthcare sector, but also by issues concerning education and life standard.

The „Every Child Matters” program will be implemented in several poor Romanian localities. The project is part of the Every One world campaign launched by international organization Save the Children in 2009 in over 42 states.

Worldwide, a child dies every three seconds, which means about 8.8 million children die annually.