Argentina has experienced a 0.5-point increase in its infant mortality rate, the first rise since 2002. According to the report by the Ministry of Health, accessed by Chequeado, the rate rose from 8 to 8.5 deaths per 1,000 live births between 2023 and 2024. In 2024, 3,513 infant deaths (under 12 months) were recorded. The most affected provinces were Corrientes, Chaco, and La Rioja. Corrientes has the highest rate with 14 confirmed deaths, followed by Chaco (11.8) and La Rioja (11.7). Formosa and Santiago del Estero reported a rate of 10.7. The City of Buenos Aires has the lowest number, with 4.9 deaths per 1,000 live births. The province of Buenos Aires reported 1,236 deaths, followed by Santa Fe (275) and Córdoba (231). The only previous increases occurred from 2001 to 2002, 2006 to 2007, 2021 to 2022, and 2023 to 2024. Before this, the rate had shown a downward trend since 2000, when it stood at 16.6.
What is the infant mortality rate? It is the ratio of the number of children who die before reaching twelve months of age per 1,000 births in a year and in a specific geographical area.
