Infant Mortality Rate: Papua New Guinea

Analysis# Papua New Guinea Infant Mortality Rate Papua New Guinea recorded 31.3 infant deaths per 1,000 births in 2024, marking the lowest rate in the nation's recorded history. This represents a dramatic 78.6% decline from the 1960 peak of 146.5 per 1,000 births. Despite significant progress over six decades, Papua New Guinea's current rate remains substantially higher than the global average of approximately 28 per 1,000 births, indicating continued development challenges in maternal and child health infrastructure. The most recent nine-year period (2015–2024) demonstrates consistent annual improvement, with the rate falling from 43.6 to 31.3 per 1,000 births. This steady downward trajectory suggests sustained progress in healthcare access and implementation of child survival programs. Maintaining this momentum will depend on continued investment in prenatal care, vaccination coverage, and rural health service expansion.