UNICEF's country profile for Kenya, including under-five mortality rates, child health, education and sanitation data.

In 2023, the infant mortality rate in deaths per 1,000 live births in Kenya was 34.7. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 78, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 33.600 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 34.300 Ratio for 2016. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 67.500 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 117.400 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 33.600 Ratio in 2017. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

In 1950, the infant mortality rate in Kenya was 187 deaths for every 1,000 live births. This means that just under 19 percent of all children born in 1950 were not expected to live past their first birthday. However, as the use of insecticides such as DDT and insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) became more widespread, and several anti-malarial drugs became more widely available, malaria and other insect-borne diseases (one of the major sources of infant mortality in the country) saw a sharp reduction in Kenya, leading to a large reduction in infant mortality from the 1950s to the mid-1980s.

In the late 1980s, this downward trend would slow, as an economic depression and the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic would lead to both an increase in complications for children born with the disease, as well as increased strain on the Kenyan healthcare system as a whole. After remaining at 74 deaths per 1000 births through the remainder of the 20th century, infant mortality would continue to fall again, in part the result of significantly improved access to HIV counselling and treatments and progress in malaria eradication efforts. In 2020, it is estimated that for every 1,000 live births, there will be 36 deaths before the first birthday.

Historical dataset showing Kenya infant mortality rate by year from 1950 to 2025.

In 1900, the child mortality rate in Kenya was just over 507 deaths for every 1,000 live births. This means that more than half of all children born in this years did not survive past their fifth birthday. This rate would remain relatively constant through the first thirty years of the 20th century. However, child mortality would begin to sharply fall beginning in the 1930s, in part the result of a rapid modernization campaign between the 1930s to 1950s. In the post-war years, as the use of insecticides such as DDT and insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) became more widespread, and several anti-malarial drugs became more widely available, malaria and other insect-borne diseases saw a sharp reduction in Kenya, which, when combined with an expansion of healthcare access throughout the country, led to a large reduction in child mortality from the 1950s to the mid-1980s.

However, in the late 1980s, this downward trend would slow, as an economic depression and the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic would lead to both an increase in complications for children born with the disease, as well as place an increased strain on the Kenyan healthcare system as a whole. After reaching a record low of 106 deaths in 1990, child mortality would rise for the first time in 65 years in 1995 to 108 deaths per 1,000 births. However, thanks in part to significantly improved access to HIV counselling and treatments, progress in malaria eradication efforts, and overall improvement in the economy, child mortality would begin to fall again, and in 2020, it is estimated that for every 1,000 live births, over 95 percent of all children will make it past the age of five.

Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 53.200 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 55.100 Ratio for 2015. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 66.600 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 106.400 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 53.200 Ratio in 2016. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Male: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate, male is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn male baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to male age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted Average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) in Kenya was reported at 34.7 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Kenya - Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 30.100 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 31.500 Ratio for 2015. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 36.000 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 60.500 Ratio in 1990 and a record low of 30.100 Ratio in 2017. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant: Female: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank: Health Statistics. Infant mortality rate, female is the number of female infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 female live births in a given year.; ; Estimates developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

34.7 (deaths per 1,000 live births) in 2023. Infant mortality rate is the number of infants dying before reaching one year of age, per 1,000 live births in a given year.

Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) in Kenya was reported at 30.9 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Kenya - Mortality rate, infant, female (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) in Kenya was reported at 38.3 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Kenya - Mortality rate, infant, male (per 1,000 live births) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 41.500 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 44.500 Ratio for 2015. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 53.900 Ratio from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 98.400 Ratio in 2000 and a record low of 41.500 Ratio in 2017. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: Female: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate, female is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn female baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to female age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

Number of infant deaths in Kenya was reported at 51498 deaths in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Kenya - Number of infant deaths - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data was reported at 45.600 Ratio in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 47.100 Ratio for 2016. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data is updated yearly, averaging 107.350 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 196.900 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 45.600 Ratio in 2017. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Under-5: per 1000 Live Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to age-specific mortality rates of the specified year.; ; Estimates Developed by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNICEF, WHO, World Bank, UN DESA Population Division) at www.childmortality.org.; Weighted average; Given that data on the incidence and prevalence of diseases are frequently unavailable, mortality rates are often used to identify vulnerable populations. Moreover, they are among the indicators most frequently used to compare socioeconomic development across countries. Under-five mortality rates are higher for boys than for girls in countries in which parental gender preferences are insignificant. Under-five mortality captures the effect of gender discrimination better than infant mortality does, as malnutrition and medical interventions have more significant impacts to this age group. Where female under-five mortality is higher, girls are likely to have less access to resources than boys.

Under-5 mortality rate of Kenya slipped by 2.92% from 41.1 deaths per thousand live births in 2022 to 39.9 deaths per thousand live births in 2023. Since the 2.34% downward trend in 2013, under-5 mortality rate sank by 20.20% in 2023. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to current age-specific mortality rates.

In 2023, the crude birth rate in live births per 1,000 inhabitants in Kenya amounted to 27.11. Between 1960 and 2023, the figure dropped by 28.07, though the decline followed an uneven course rather than a steady trajectory.

39.9 (deaths per thousand live births) in 2023. Under-five mortality rate is the probability per 1,000 that a newborn baby will die before reaching age five, if subject to current age-specific mortality rates.

Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant per 1000 Births data was reported at 12.300 NA in 2050. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.700 NA for 2049. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant per 1000 Births data is updated yearly, averaging 40.050 NA from Jun 1979 (Median) to 2050, with 72 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 78.200 NA in 1979 and a record low of 12.300 NA in 2050. Kenya KE: Mortality Rate: Infant per 1000 Births data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.US Census Bureau: Demographic Projection.

Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in Kenya was reported at 27.11 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Kenya - Birth rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.