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

Bulgaria meets the final criterion for eurozone membership and will request a convergence report

According to data from Eurostat, Bulgaria has met the final criterion for joining the eurozone, namely price stability, Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova announced at the beginning of an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers. She..

published on 2/24/25 5:00 PM

Rosen Zhelyazkov: Ukraine must be given guarantees for a lasting and just peace

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov reaffirmed Bulgaria's support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. He participated in the summit initiated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to mark the third anniversary of..

published on 2/24/25 4:30 PM
Hungary's Minister of Agriculture István Nagy

Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia call on EC to restore pre-war import quotas for Ukrainian agricultural products

The Ministers of Agriculture of Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have called on the European Commission to restore pre-war import quotas for Ukrainian agricultural products, said Hungary's Minister of Agriculture, István Nagy, as cited by BTA...

published on 2/24/25 1:44 PM