The world over, child mortality rates have been steadily declining despite an overall increase in the global child population. Globally, the under 5 mortality rates (U5MR) have declined by 50%, from a staggering 12.6 million deaths 6.6 million deaths in 1999 to around today. Dedicated efforts in the form of policy interventions, project implementations and contributions of multi lateral agencies and civil society stakeholders have ensured that fewer children are dying today due to chronic illness brought on by debilitating levels of poverty and lack of proper health care facilities for both mother and child.

While improved post-natal care has ensured a reduction in deaths related to infectious diseases, inadequate antenatal and neonatal medical attention has led to a sharp rise in the proportion of neonatal deaths contributing to the total number of under 5 deaths (occurring due to serious birth defects and other congenital conditions): in 2012, 44% of all under 5 deaths occurred during the neonatal period.