INFANT-MORTALITY RATES IN THE YEAR-2000 - A CROSS-NATIONAL-STUDY

Reduction of infant mortality rate (IMR) has become an important compo nent for monitoring Progress toward satisfactory health for all by the year 2000. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Task Force for Child Survival expect that every country of the world mill achieve an IMR of 50 per 1000 live births or lower by the end of this century. U sing the Markov chain modelling approach, this paper forecasts that si xty countries still will have an IMR of above 50 ill the year 2000. Th e reasons for this slow progress ave discussed and ways to intensify t he efforts to lower infant mortality are indicated.