In 2012, an estimated 2.9 million babies died in the newborn period (during the first 28 days of life).1 Approximately three-quarters of these deaths occurred within the first week and one third on the day of birth. An additional 1.2 million babies died during labour (intrapartum stillbirths).2 Most of these deaths are preventable, however there are many missed opportunities to save lives and prevent disability. Improving care for women and babies is not just the right thing to do – it is highly cost-effective, providing a triple return on investment by preventing maternal deaths, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths. It is also the best test of universal health care in practice. Babies can die within minutes and are our most vulnerable health system users. Harnessing the power of families and communities is essential to a world where newborn deaths are no longer believed to be inevitable.
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1.UNICEF, WHO, The World Bank, United Nations. Levels and trends in child mortality: Report 2013. New York, USA: UNICEF, 2013.
2.Lawn JE, Kinney MV, Black RE, et al. Newborn survival: a multi-country analysis of a decade of change. Health policy and planning 2012; 27 Suppl 3: iii6-28.
lysis. Lancet 2013; 381(9879): 1736-46.