PACIFIC – UNICEF says the rate of newborn deaths in Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and the Federated States of Micronesia remains alarmingly high.

A new report shows newborns from the world’s riskiest places to give birth are up to 50 times more likely to die than those from the safest places.

UNICEF said in PNG, one in 43 babies born does not survive followed closely by Kiribati, with one in 44.

The rate is one in 58 for the Federated States of Micronesia and one in 85 in Vanuatu.

The report showed Tonga doing best among Pacific island countries with a rate of one in 147.

The rate in Fiji is one in 114.

UNICEF Pacific Representative Sheldon Yett said throughout the Pacific newborn mortality rates remain a serious concern.

“UNICEF is working with governments around the region to improve the quality of care for newborn babies and to ensure that all babies, no matter where they are born, receive the vital care they need in those first few days to survive.”

A shortage of midwives, clean water and good nutrition are among reasons for high mortality rates.

Babies born in New Zealand have a far better chance of survival than those born in the poorest parts of the world, but New Zealand could still do better with newborn mortality rates refusing to budge.

New Zealand’s newborn mortality rate is three deaths per 1000 live births, meaning one in 333 babies dies within the first month of life

While New Zealand needed to do better to continue to lower its stagnating neonatal mortality rate, newborn deaths in the Pacific were a cause for great concern.

Unicef NZ executive director Vivien Maidaborn said newborn babies, just a few hours away from New Zealand by air, were dying because of a lack of midwives, facilities and clean running water.

“Babies born in New Zealand are lucky enough to get a great start at life. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could share our knowledge and resources so that all babies, including those born throughout the Pacific, get the same great chances?”

Unicef Pacific representative Sheldon Yett said the majority of the babies in the Pacific region that died within their first month could be saved with affordable, quality healthcare.

“Just a few small steps from all of us can help ensure the first small steps of each of these young lives.”

Most of the deaths were due to premature birth, complications during labour, or infections such as pneumonia, according to the UNICEF report.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced an extra US$5 million to try and reduce the Pacific’s high newborn mortality rates.

The new funding will target Solomon Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu which have some of the highest death rates of newborns.

Nearly 1700 children under five years of age died in the Pacific in 2016.

More than 80 per cent of those children died within their first year of life and half of those children died in their first 28 days.

Peters says it will go towards improving child health policies and services such as newborn care, immunisation and nutrition that are “both high impact and low-cost”.

The funding will also go towards increasing communities’ awareness of risks to child health and improving child health practices.

- PNC sources