The Solution!

There's a lot that can be done to lower infant mortality rates in developing countries. As part of a developed country, we should invest in the livelihood of infants in less medically rich areas. Based on my research, I believe the most effective solution to this problem needs to address three key stages: foster a healthy environment before the child is born, ease the childbirth process, and support the child during the first few days of life. By improving these three stages, up to 75% of newborn deaths could be prevented (WHO, 2011). As each stage requires a unique approach, a full analysis of alternative solutions for each stage is beyond the scope of this report. Based on my research, I believe I have identified the most effective solutions for each stage.

To start, developing countries should empower communities toward a healthier culture; educating families to diagnose common infant medical issues and provide effective solutions. By changing culture through health education, developing countries will not only see lower newborn mortality, but better life expectancy, sexual health awareness, and even “economic advantages associated with education” (Cleland, 1988). Next, skilled attendants should be present during birth whenever possible. This means increasing regional medical presence and subsidising transportation to hospitals. Though the feasibility of this initiative may depend on the country’s financial state, improvements to medical infrastructure should be a “key critical issue” for any developing country (Maher, 2012). Lastly, once a baby is born, countries should offer accessible and affordable vaccinations or antibiotics to preventable diseases. These medicines are able to be produced at a low cost, but their accessibility may depend on the countries’ healthcare laws. Implementing affordable medication for a country can be costly, but these costs could be supported by developed countries around the world.

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Cleland, J. G., & Ginneken, J. K. (1988). Maternal education and child survival in developing countries: The search for pathways of influence [Abstract]. Social Science & Medicine, 27(12), 1357-1368. doi:10.1016/0277-9536(88)90201-8

Maher, D., Ford, N., & Unwin, N. (2012). Priorities for developing countries in the global response to non-communicable diseases. Globalization and Health, 8(1), 14. doi:10.1186/1744-8603-8-14