Each year, 600,000 newborns die within 28 days in India; highest in world - UNICEF study

A quarter of global neonatal deaths happen in India where nearly 600,000 newborns die within 28 days of their birth every year, according to a new UNICEF study.

The study, which found the number of  newborn deaths in India was one of the highest in the world, says the causes of such deaths are preventable and treatable as 80 per cent of these fatalities happen for no serious reason.

Of the 184 countries, which the report covers, India's 31 rank with 25.4 neonatal mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) kept the world's seventh largest economy below 153 countries who have better survival rates for their newborns.

A year earlier, India was the 28th worst country among 184 nations in terms of neonatal mortality.
The first 28 days of life - the neonatal period - are the most vulnerable time for a child's survival.

Children face the highest risk of dying in their first month of life, at a global rate of 19 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Globally, 2.6 million children died in the first month of life in 2016 most of which occurred in the first week, with about one million dying on the first day and close to one million dying within the next six days, as per the UNICEF