As many kids die before their 5th birthday in UP as in Afghanistan: Report

Child mortality rates in several Indian states is similar to that of strife-torn countries

Nearly 60 of every 1,000 children born in Uttar Pradesh die before their fifth birthday, almost as many as in Afghanistan, according to data from the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS 5) and the World Bank.

Across India, 42 of every 1,000 children die before the age of five, according to NFHS-5. Afghanistan (60.3/1,000) and Pakistan (67.2/1,000) are the only countries in South Asia, where the child mortality rate–the number of child deaths per 1,000 live births before age five–is higher than that of India's.

Among all states, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar (56.4 deaths for every 1,000 live births) and