In 1996, 447 infants and children died in Norway. The corresponding figure last year was 216.
– The decline in deaths among children is a long success story, especially over the last 50 years, but actually also the last 10-20 years, although there has been a leveling off in the decline, said Dr. Christian Lycke Ellingsen to news agency NTB.
He works at the Cause of Death Register at the People’s Health Institute (Folkehellseinstituttet).
Over the last 20 years the number of children dying has decreased by 52 percent, but the decline is in fact even greater, because the population in Norway has increased by 18 percent during the same period.
– Deaths per 100,000 children have had an even greater decline, confirmed Ellingsen.
The biggest reason for the decline is that the number of children aged 1 to 17 years who die in car accidents, are been gradually reduced from 32 in 1996 to 5 last year.
In addition, deaths due to cancer and other diseases had reduced by 33 percent and deaths due to congenital malformations has decreased by 40 percent.
The number of suicides has roughly halved compared to the level of 18-20 years ago.
The largest decline in infant deaths came before the last 20 years, but also since 1996 there has been a positive development, which includes the number who die from diseases being halved.
Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today
