Kenya’s under-five mortality rate has fallen to 37 deaths per 1,000 live births, down from 41 in 2022, pointing to continued improvements in child survival, according to the latest Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) survey.
The Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2025/2026 also recorded declines in infant and neonatal mortality, with the rates standing at 30 and 19 deaths per 1,000 live births respectively.
The findings indicate that fewer children are dying before reaching their fifth birthday, while survival during the first year of life and the first month after birth has also improved.
The latest under-five figure marks a substantial decline from 115 deaths per 1,000 live births recorded in 2003. The reduction over the period reflects a long-term improvement in child survival, although the latest figures show that preventable deaths remain a public health concern.
Under-five mortality measures the likelihood of a child dying before reaching the age of five, while infant mortality tracks deaths before a child’s first birthday. Neonatal mortality specifically measures deaths within the first 28 days after birth, a period when newborns face heightened health risks.
The survey’s findings therefore provide a broader picture of child survival, showing improvements at different stages of early childhood rather than relying on the under-five figure alone.
The report also found that eight in every 10 children aged between 12 and 23 months had received all basic vaccine antigens. Vaccination is an important component of child health programmes because it protects young children against preventable infectious diseases.
The 2025/2026 survey was conducted between November 5, 2025, and February 10, 2026, covering a nationally representative sample of 29,935 households. It was implemented by KNBS in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other partners.
The findings provide updated evidence for assessing progress in maternal and child health and identifying areas where services still need improvement.
Despite the decline in mortality, the national figures do not mean that every child has equal access to healthcare or that the risk of early childhood deaths has been eliminated. Continued access to essential newborn care, childhood immunisation and timely treatment remains important in sustaining the gains.
The latest results place Kenya’s child survival indicators on a continued downward trajectory, while highlighting the need to maintain efforts to prevent deaths during pregnancy, childbirth and the early years of life.
