The Ministry of Health reported today that, while the Israel infant mortality rate was lower last year than in the previous two years, it was still much higher than in pre-State days, when the rate was the lowest in the world.
The rate in 1958 was 30.9 per thousand, compared with 33.6 in 1957 and 35.5 in 1956 The Ministry said the higher rate was caused by the large influx of Oriental immigrants who have a low standard of infant care. Israel institutions are working vigorously to teach Oriental mothers Western standards, and to cut the infant death rate.
The Ministry also reported that a similar educational campaign was being conducted among Arabs in Israel, and the infant mortality rate of Israel Arabs has been nearly halved in the past decade–from 100 per thousand to 51 per thousand.
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