NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 3174
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 15 NOVEMBER 2013
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 38)
Mrs S P Kopane (DA) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) What are the (a) infant and (b) under-5 mortality rates in the (i)
2011-12 and (ii) 2012-13 financial years;
(2) where there has been an improvement in the rate, what (a) were the
main driving forces for the improvement in the (i) infant and (ii)
under-5 mortality rates in each case and (b) further steps does his
department intend to take to accelerate the specified improvements;
(3) how many baby-friendly facilities are in the country?
NW3732E
REPLY:
1) Data from vital registration and the Rapid Mortality Surveillance
system indicate that the infant mortality fell from 37 deaths per
1Â 000 live births in 2010 to 30 deaths per 1Â 000 in 2011. During the
same period the under-five mortality rate declined from 53 to 42
deaths per 1Â 000 live births. Figures for 2012 are not yet available.
2) (a) The declines in both infant and under-five mortality rates
can primarily be attributed to a decline in deaths due to HIV
infection as a result of improvements in prevention of mother-to-
child transmission (PMTCT) programmes, and improved
identification and management of children with HIV infection.
Other programmes aimed at reducing child poverty and improving
child health and development, including the introduction of new
vaccines which prevent diarrhoea and pneumonia, have also
contributed to the decline.
(b) In order to sustain and accelerate these gains, the Department
of Health is focussed on the following interventions:
⢠Improving nutrition in young children through the promotion
of exclusive breasfeeding (for six months);
⢠Reducing neonatal mortality by ensuring that all mothers and
their newborn infants have access to a package of quality
maternal and newborn services;
⢠Reducing deaths from diarrhoea and pneumonia by focusing on
both preventing these conditions and ensuring appropriate
case management at community, primary health care and
hospital levels.
⢠Maintaining and extending the gains achieved through the
PMTCT programme.
3) There are currently 54.1% (295/545) facilities with maternity beds
accredited as baby-friendly facilities, at the end of the 2nd quarter
of the 2013/2014 financial year.
END.