Spotlight on Bangladesh

Bangladesh has achieved significant reductions in child mortality over the past two decades, with under-five mortality falling from 144 to 41 deaths per 1,000 live births between 1990 and 2013. The equity picture is mixed. While gaps in child survival rates between rich and poor have reduced over the past two decades, they actually increased in the most recent five-year period. Gender inequalities in mortality rates have halved in two decades, although there is still a clear survival disadvantage for girls. Bangladesh ranks 16 out of 31 Countdown countries for equitable coverage of eight core MNCH interventions across economic groups. Equity gaps have been closing for some services such as DTP3 vaccinations, but challenges remain around newborn care. Skilled birth attendance has risen faster among the rich than the poor, resulting in the equity gap widening (quintile 1 3% to 31%, quintile 5 27.9% to 52.2%). While regional disparities in child mortality rates are falling, they remain high for key interventions along a broad east/west divide.

This brief describes Save the Children UK’s policy recommendations for improving the health of the children in Bangladesh.