India's under-5 mortality equals global average, but Bangladesh does better

The mortality rates of Bangladesh and Nepal, both countries with a lower per capita income than India's $1,939 ($1,546 and $835, respectively) are 32 and 34, compared to 39 for India

India’s under-five mortality rate now matches the global average (39 deaths per 1,000 live births), but the number of infant and neonatal deaths--and the performance of India’s poorer neighbours--indicate that tackling newborn health remains a formidable challenge, according to a new report.

The number of children under-five dying has fallen by 30 per cent since 2012, from 1.4 million to 989,000. Over the same period, infant deaths (dying before reaching their first birthday) fell by 26 per cent(1.09 million to 802,000) and neonatal deaths (dying in the first 28 days) by 22 per cent(779,000