At 67,385, India records highest number of babies born globally on New Year’s Day: UNICEF

Nearly 400,000 babies were born around world on New Year's Day with India recording highest number of se births worldwide at 67,385, UN children's ncy said. An estimated 392,078 babies were born around world on New Year’s Day, according to UNICEF. Of this, an estimated 67,385 babies were born in India, most globally. China comes in second with 46,299 births.

“ beginning of a new year and a new dece is an opportunity to reflect on our hopes and aspirations t only for our future, but future of those who will come after us,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. “As calendar flips each January, we are reminded of all possibility and potential of each child embarking on her or his life’s journey—if y are just given that chance.”

UNICEF celebrates babies born on New Year’s Day

Fiji in Pacific most likely delivered 2020’s first baby, while US, last of New Year's Day. Globally, over half of se births were estimated to have taken place in eight countries - India (67,385), China (46,299), Nigeria (26,039), Pakistan (16,787), Indonesia (13,020), United States of America (10,452), Democratic Republic of Congo (10,247) and Ethiopia (8,493). Each January, UNICEF celebrates babies born on New Year’s Day, an auspicious day for childbirth around world, it said. However, for millions of newborns around world, day of ir birth is far less auspicious.

Last year, 2.5 million newborns died in just ir first month

In 2018, 2.5 million newborns died in just ir first month of life; about a third of m on first day of life. Among those children, most died from preventable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis. In dition, more than 2.5 million babies are born de each year. UNICEF said over past three deces, world has seen remarkable progress in child survival, cutting number of children worldwide who die before ir fifth birthday by more than half. But re has been slower progress for newborns. Babies dying in first month accounted for 47 per cent of all deaths among children under five in 2018, up from 40 per cent in 1990.

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UNICEF’s Every Child Alive campaign calls for immediate investment in health workers with right training, who are equipped with right medicines to ensure every mor and newborn is cared for by a safe pair of hands to prevent and treat complications during pregnancy, delivery and birth. “Too many mors and newborns are t being cared for by a trained and equipped midwife or nurse, and results are devastating,” said Fore. “We can ensure that millions of babies survive ir first day and live into this dece and beyond if every one of m is born into a safe pair of hands.”

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India is projected to surpass China

India is projected to surpass China as world's most populous country around 2027. According to UN estimates, India is expected to d nearly 273 million people between 2019 and 2050, while population of Nigeria is projected to grow by 200 million. Toger, se two countries could account for 23 per cent of global population increase to 2050. China, with 1.43 billion people in 2019, and India, with 1.37 billion, have long been two most populous countries of world, comprising 19 and 18 per cent, respectively, of global total in 2019. Through end of century, India is estimated to remain world's most populous country with nearly 1.5 billion inhabitants, followed by China with just under 1.1 billion, Nigeria with 733 million, US with 434 million, and Pakistan with 403 million inhabitants.

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