Infant mortality is a grave global concern, as millions of infants lose their lives each year before reaching their first birthday. According to World Bank data, in 2020, the global infant mortality rate stood at an estimated 28 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The World Health Organization recorded 5 million child deaths in 2020, including 2.4 million newborn deaths, which are considered unacceptable as a considerable portion of these deaths could have been prevented.

Although these numbers seem to be so high, we can’t neglect the fact that it has been reduced from 54 death per 1,000 lives birth in 2020 (World Average) by increasing Health Expenditure which has a significant impact on infant mortality rates. Increased investment in healthcare infrastructure, resources, and services leads to better access to prenatal and neonatal care, vaccinations, and skilled healthcare professionals. This, in turn, reduces infant mortality rates by addressing preventable causes and providing timely interventions for infants in need.

In India, the Infant mortality rate in 2020 was 29 deaths per 1000 live births, which declined from 66 in 2000 by increasing the Health Expenditure. The same applies to Pakistan which decreased the infant mortality rate from 85 death per 1000 live birth to 54 death per 1000 live birth over the last 20 years.

In 2015, global health spending amounted to around USD 7.3 trillion, representing a significant portion of the global gross domestic product (GDP), approximately 10%. High-income countries, on average, allocated nearly 12% of their GDP to healthcare, the highest among all income groups. Conversely, low-income countries allocated an average of 7% of their GDP to healthcare. It is essential to ensure that underdeveloped countries have access to adequate resources to replicate the substantial yearly reductions in infant mortality rates observed in more developed countries. For instance, in 2020, the United States reported an infant mortality rate of 5.6 deaths per 1000 live births, while the United Kingdom’s rate was 3.5

The US has one of the world’s highest HE per capita, reaching up to $11K, which is reflected clearly in their low IMR of 5 per 1000 Live Births.
on the other hand, Pakistan has a very low HE of $38 per capita, again reflecting on their IMR of 54 per 1000 live births.

Healthcare expenditure remains a crucial component of reducing infant and neonatal mortality around the globe. In some countries such as India, Pakistan, and sub-Saharan Africa where health infrastructure is largely underdeveloped, increasing health expenditure will contribute to progress toward reducing infant and neonatal mortality during the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) era. Therefore, governments in the region need to increase the amounts allocated to healthcare service delivery in order to reduce infant mortality.