What is child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa?

Child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa was 3.51 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest child mortality vs. health spending recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 13.23 deaths per 100 live births in 1974.

What is the lowest child mortality vs. health spending recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 3.39 deaths per 100 live births in 2020.

How does South Africa rank for child mortality vs. health spending?

South Africa ranks 53rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.

Is child mortality vs. health spending rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality vs. health spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa

Name: Child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa
Creator: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Child mortality vs. health spending was 3.51 deaths per 100 live births in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)

3.51 deaths per 100 live births

Change on year

up 0.9%

World rank

53rd

of 199 countries

All-time high

13.23 deaths per 100 live births

in 1974

All-time low

3.39 deaths per 100 live births

in 2020

Years of data

1974–2024

Child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa, 1974–2024

Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100 live births.

Analysis

In 2024, child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa stood at 3.51 deaths per 100 live births.

That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa peaked at 13.23 deaths per 100 live births in 1974 and was at its lowest, 3.39 deaths per 100 live births, in 2020.

South Africa ranks 53rd of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.

Child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa, 1974 to 2024.
Year	deaths per 100 live births	Change
1974	13.23 deaths per 100 live births	—
1975	12.49 deaths per 100 live births	-5.6%
1976	11.78 deaths per 100 live births	-5.7%
1977	11.11 deaths per 100 live births	-5.7%
1978	10.47 deaths per 100 live births	-5.7%
1979	9.88 deaths per 100 live births	-5.7%
1980	9.35 deaths per 100 live births	-5.4%
1981	8.85 deaths per 100 live births	-5.3%
1982	8.38 deaths per 100 live births	-5.3%
1983	7.96 deaths per 100 live births	-5.0%
1984	7.59 deaths per 100 live births	-4.7%
1985	7.23 deaths per 100 live births	-4.7%
1986	6.89 deaths per 100 live births	-4.7%
1987	6.57 deaths per 100 live births	-4.7%
1988	6.27 deaths per 100 live births	-4.6%
1989	6.01 deaths per 100 live births	-4.1%
1990	5.81 deaths per 100 live births	-3.3%
1991	5.68 deaths per 100 live births	-2.3%
1992	5.62 deaths per 100 live births	-0.9%
1993	5.66 deaths per 100 live births	+0.7%
1994	5.78 deaths per 100 live births	+2.0%
1995	5.92 deaths per 100 live births	+2.4%
1996	6.09 deaths per 100 live births	+2.9%
1997	6.29 deaths per 100 live births	+3.3%
1998	6.58 deaths per 100 live births	+4.6%
1999	6.87 deaths per 100 live births	+4.4%
2000	7.14 deaths per 100 live births	+3.8%
2001	7.45 deaths per 100 live births	+4.5%
2002	7.7 deaths per 100 live births	+3.2%
2003	7.92 deaths per 100 live births	+2.9%
2004	8.07 deaths per 100 live births	+1.9%
2005	7.98 deaths per 100 live births	-1.2%
2006	7.69 deaths per 100 live births	-3.6%
2007	7.12 deaths per 100 live births	-7.3%
2008	6.37 deaths per 100 live births	-10.5%
2009	5.69 deaths per 100 live births	-10.8%
2010	5.03 deaths per 100 live births	-11.6%
2011	4.56 deaths per 100 live births	-9.3%
2012	4.31 deaths per 100 live births	-5.5%
2013	4.14 deaths per 100 live births	-3.9%
2014	3.97 deaths per 100 live births	-4.0%
2015	3.82 deaths per 100 live births	-3.9%
2016	3.68 deaths per 100 live births	-3.6%
2017	3.57 deaths per 100 live births	-3.1%
2018	3.49 deaths per 100 live births	-2.3%
2019	3.43 deaths per 100 live births	-1.6%
2020	3.39 deaths per 100 live births	-1.3%
2021	3.4 deaths per 100 live births	+0.2%
2022	3.43 deaths per 100 live births	+1.0%
2023	3.48 deaths per 100 live births	+1.3%
2024	3.51 deaths per 100 live births	+0.9%

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1970s	11.49 deaths per 100 live births	9.88 deaths per 100 live births	13.23 deaths per 100 live births	6
1980s	7.51 deaths per 100 live births	6.01 deaths per 100 live births	9.35 deaths per 100 live births	10
1990s	6.03 deaths per 100 live births	5.62 deaths per 100 live births	6.87 deaths per 100 live births	10
2000s	7.31 deaths per 100 live births	5.69 deaths per 100 live births	8.07 deaths per 100 live births	10
2010s	4 deaths per 100 live births	3.43 deaths per 100 live births	5.03 deaths per 100 live births	10
2020s	3.44 deaths per 100 live births	3.39 deaths per 100 live births	3.51 deaths per 100 live births	5

Countries ranked near South Africa

50 Senegal 3.65 deaths per 100 live births compare
51 Ghana 3.59 deaths per 100 live births compare
52 Dominica 3.57 deaths per 100 live births compare
54 Eritrea 3.43 deaths per 100 live births compare
55 Botswana 3.33 deaths per 100 live births compare
56 Gabon 3.26 deaths per 100 live births compare

See the full ranking of 199 places →

More health data for South Africa

Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
Population ages 75-79, female, annual growth rate 7.34 % change on previous year (2025)
Population ages 75-79, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Population ages 75-79, female, per capita 0.0067 units per person (2025)
Population ages 75-79, male, annual growth rate 8.95 % change on previous year (2025)
Population ages 75-79, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Population ages 75-79, male, per capita 0.0039 units per person (2025)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa?: Child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa was 3.51 deaths per 100 live births in 2024, according to United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest child mortality vs. health spending recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 13.23 deaths per 100 live births in 1974.
What is the lowest child mortality vs. health spending recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 3.39 deaths per 100 live births in 2020.
How does South Africa rank for child mortality vs. health spending?: South Africa ranks 53rd out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
Is child mortality vs. health spending rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality vs. health spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Child mortality vs. health spending in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/child-mortality-vs-health-expenditure/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Child mortality vs. health spending
Unit: deaths per 100 live births
Source: United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 199 places, 13,255 data points, 1931–2024
Last refreshed: 27 August 2026

Estimated number of deaths of children aged under five years, per 100 live births .