Neonatal and childhood mortality rates in Myanmar.

The health system performance in Myanmar was reported by WHO as having the highest childhood mortality numbers in Asia only exceeded by Cambodia and Laos. Previous data reported an infant mortality rate of as high as 105 per 1,000 live births. This review looks at the trend of the mortality rate in neonates and children in Myanmar during the two past decades. Data were retrieved from the Central Statistical Organization (CSO) of Myanmar, from UNICEF and from WHO. Data include the mortality under five years of age (U5MR), infant mortality rate (IMR), neonatal mortality rate (NMR), and maternal mortality rate (MMR). The latest report given by the CSO in 2002/2003 estimates U5MR at 66/1 000, IMR at 50/1,000, and NMR at 16/1 000. Data published by the WHO in 2003 provide a less optimistic perspective: U5MR is reported at 107/1 000, IMR at 76/1,000, and NMR at 35/1 000. 73% of death cases under the age of five years occurred in the age group 0-11 months, 34% of infant death cases happened during the first month of life. The majority of death cases were attributable to acute respiratory infections, diarrhoea, brain infections, or septicaemia. International sources (UNICEF, WHO) indicate a less fortunate situation related to childhood mortality rates in Myanmar as is published by the CSO. Further substantial reductions of mortality rates require structural changes not only in rural areas.