The quality of mortality estimates calculated from birth histories depends on the mother’s ability to recall all of the children she has given birth to, as well as their birth dates and ages at death.

The 2016-18 PNG DHS results show that in the 5 years immediately preceding the survey, the infant mortality rate was 33 deaths per 1,000 live births. The child mortality rate was 16 deaths per 1,000 children surviving to age 12 months, while the overall under-5 mortality rate was 49 deaths per 1,000 live births. Sixty-seven percent of all deaths among children under age 5 in Papua New Guinea take place before a child’s first birthday, with 41% occurring during the first month of life. Child mortality accounts for 33% of all under-5 deaths. In other words, 1 in every 50 children die within the first month and 1 of every 20 children die before reaching their fifth birthday.