Mozambique has the potential to achieve its 2015 targets for infant mortality (67/1,000 live births) and under-five mortality (108/1,000 live births).In the last few decades, the country has seen a continuous reduction of the neonatal, infant and child mortality rates. However, the speed of its decrease has been recently lower than in previous periods.

Vaccination is one of the interventions that contribute strongly to the reduction of child mortality, through decrease of the incidence of preventable diseases. The MICS data for 2008 show some progress in the coverage of vaccination of children of less than one year of age against the main preventable diseases:

• BCG 87%
• DPT-3 dose 71%
• Polio-3 dose 70%
• Measles 64%.

 Malaria, AIDS, pneumonia and diarrhoea were the main causes of child deaths in Mozambique in 2008.

Fair allocation of qualified human resources for neonatal and infant health at all levels would reduce child mortality.