Afghan child mortality linked to poverty

According to a new study poverty, a lack of education of the mothers, child marriage, lack of maternal autonomy, shortage of basic material needs and internal displacement showed a significant difference in child health and death rates within Afghanistan. Well-to-do Afghan children had drastically better health and lower death rates.

The study was based on a total of 2474 children from 1327 households completed the examinations and interviews; among them, 101 children were deceased by the time of the interview visits.

Diarrhea (32.5%) and acute respiratory infection (41.0%) were common child health problems and both emaciation (12.4%) and linear growth retardation (39.9%) were prevalent. Poverty, lack of education and the sheer youth/inexperience of the young mothers were the primary differences in illness/death rates.