Apparent mortality leap in Timor-Leste was due to method change, UNICEF says

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today corrected the impression it may have given in yearly reports that the under-five mortality rate in Timor-Leste had almost doubled between its 2006 and 2007, saying that statistical methods had been adjusted for greater accuracy in the later year.

“UNICEF regrets that the adjustment of figures may have given the wrong impression that under-five mortality rate seemed to have almost doubled – from 55 in 2006 to 97 in 2007, UNICEF Representative Jun Kukita said, pointing to figures published in the Organization’s State of the World’s Children report in successive years.

The under-five mortality rate, one of the indicators that is used to help measure the health status in a particular country, is the number of children out of 1,000 live births who die before reaching the age of 5 years.

The rate for 2006 was based on statistical calculation and did not reflect the actual situation in Timor-Leste, Mr. Kukita explained, adding that there was not sufficient background information at the time.

UNICEF adjusted the figures for 2007 to a more realistic one, which is much closer to the official Government figure based on census data, he said.

He added that UNICEF has been working very closely with the Ministry of Health and other partners on health and nutrition programmes to address the well-being of children and women.

“We should vigorously continue our joint efforts to tackle the high under-five mortality and overall mortality rates here in Timor-Leste. Second, we should also continue to support building the capacity of the government in establishing a strong statistical data base,” Mr. Kukita said.

“In this regard this year’s Demographic Health Survey and the National Census of 2010 will be critical to help provide more accurate figures on how children and women are faring in terms of their health.”