Press releases

16 Oct 2025

Healthcare Ministry: Belarus has one of world’s lowest infant mortality rates

An archive photo

MINSK, 16 October (BelTA) – Belarus has achieved one of Europe’s and the world’s lowest infant mortality rates, Dmitry Lazar, Deputy Head of the Directorate for Medical Care Provision – Head of the Department of Medical Care for Mothers and Children at the Healthcare Ministry, told BelTA’s Nation Speaks project.

“The maternal mortality rate currently does not exceed 1.5 cases per 100,000 live births. In 1993, that figure stood at 20.4. This represents a dramatic improvement from 1993, when the rate was 20.4. Such progress positions Belarus among leading nations like Israel, Poland, and Finland. Furthermore, we also maintain one of the lowest infant mortality rates globally. The 2024 rate of 2.9 per 1,000 live births comes in below the global average of 3 per 1,000. We have kept it below the global average for many years already,” the healthcare official said.

He explained that each case of maternal or infant death is reviewed by treatment control councils at both the regional and national levels. “Problems are always identified and resolved immediately. We monitor severe cases daily; I personally track every case when a child gets in intensive care in critical condition, and a team is dispatched there immediately. We work closely with the regions. The healthcare system has a multi-tier structure: The National Research and Treatment Center Mother and Child serves as the fourth, top tier. The third tier consists of regional healthcare facilities, while the first tier comprises district hospitals. A system of inter-district centers constitutes the second tier, creating a comprehensive network. In Minsk Oblast, for example, these centers are in Soligorsk, Molodechno, and Borisov. By concentrating top-notch equipment and highly qualified specialists at these centers, we ensure that critically ill patients are directed to the appropriate facility and receive the care they need.”