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Child Mortality Declines in Kyrgyzstan, but Maternal Mortality Remains High

• By Newsdesk
• Kyrgyzstan
• Jun 20, 2023

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Kyrgyzstan has made remarkable progress in reducing neonatal and child mortality rates over the past few decades, as reported by the Ministry of Health. Neonatal mortality has seen a significant decrease of 40%, dropping from 19.92 per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 11.92 in 2021. Similarly, under-five mortality has witnessed a substantial decline of 63%, decreasing from 47.35 per 1,000 live births in 2001 to 17.4 in 2021.

Maternal mortality has also shown improvement, experiencing a reduction of 42.5% over a twenty-year period. In 2000, the maternal mortality rate stood at 87 per 100,000 live births, whereas in 2020, it dropped to 50. However, despite these advancements, the maternal mortality rate in Kyrgyzstan remains higher compared to the WHO European Region average of 13 per 100,000 newborns, and it remains one of the highest among Central Asian countries.

In efforts to enhance the health of mothers, newborns, and children in the country, the Ministry of Health organized a high-level dialogue in Bishkek. During the dialogue, WHO recommendations were presented, focusing on improving maternal, newborn, and child health, as well as implementing effective surveillance and response approaches to maternal and child mortality. The discussions drew on best practices and evidence from local, regional, and global levels.

The dialogue saw participation from various ministries, healthcare professionals, WHO experts, members of professional associations, patients, and development partners and donor organizations committed to improving maternal and child health. The participants agreed to coordinate their efforts to strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers and enhance the quality of healthcare provided to mothers, infants, and their families through professional development initiatives.