Newborn mortality in Bolivia decreased from 43 to 34 per thousand live births between 1988 and 1998. However, the impact of the decrease on infant mortality from 91 to 67 out of every 1,000 live births during the same ten-year period was more important.
Most actions focusing on the reduction of neonatal morbidity and mortality in Bolivia formed part of programs that emphasized women and children in general, without specifically dealing with the problems of the neonate population, which would result in a considerable improvement of their standard of living.
The Saving Newborn Lives/SNL Initiative of Save the Children – funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – identified Bolivia s one of the 6 focus countries that were selected tos upport sustainable actions and interventions aimed at generating conditions and means so that mothers and children can survive and enjoy good health.