Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgaria's infant mortality rate falling, but still above EU average

Christina de Bruin
Photo: BGNES

Data on child mortality in Bulgaria show a significant decrease: between 2000 and 2022, the under-5 mortality rate fell from 18 per thousand to 6 per thousand. This is according to the latest report of the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). 

For children up to 1 year of age, the rate is 4.8‰, which, despite the positive downward trend, is still significantly higher than the EU average (3.2‰ in 2021). There are significant regional differences in the indicator, with some administrative districts (e.g. Sliven and Montana) more than twice the national average. According to Christina de Bruin, UNICEF Representative in Bulgaria, serious investment in primary health care is needed if Bulgaria's infant mortality rate is to reach the European average. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

In July, Bulgaria will know whether it will join the eurozone on January 1, 2026

In July, it will become completely clear whether Bulgaria will join the eurozone on January 1, 2026. This was stated in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio by Deputy Minister of Finance Metodi Metodiev. The two reports on the assessment..

published on 4/17/25 3:03 PM

The rights of Bulgarians in North Macedonia are not protected, the vice president believes

Bulgaria does not impose additional conditions on the process and negotiations of the Republic of North Macedonia with the EU, said Vice President Iliana Iotova at the opening of the “EU meets the Balkans” forum in Sofia. The forum is atte nded..

published on 4/17/25 1:49 PM

Bulgarian researchers create new method for tracking chromosomes

Bulgarian young researchers have made an impressive scientific discovery in the field of cell biology . A Bulgarian team has published a scientific paper in which they track human chromosomes during mitosis, which was previously considered impossible...

published on 4/17/25 12:41 PM