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ian per 1,000 live births, i.e., more than 13 times the average rate in high income countries (6 deaths per 1,000 live tool for monitoring under-five mortality in different countries [7-10]. Ayele et al. BMC Public Health (2015) 15:268 DOI 10.1186/s12889-015-1602-zunder-five mortality under investigation is crucial in anKwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Pietermaritzburg, Scottsville 3209, South Africabirths). Strategies aimed at reducing these inequities across countries and saving more children’s lives by ending preventable child deaths are important prior-ities [5,6]. In recent years, under-five child mortality has shown