Romania’s infant deaths largely linked to respiratory illnesses as Save the Children expands equipment program

An analysis of infant mortality in Romania shows that 52.27 % of deaths among children under one year are caused by respiratory diseases, a share far above the EU average of 3.39 %. The condition accounts for about 22.5 % of all infant deaths in the country.

Save the Children Romania reports that its "Each Child Counts" programme has equipped 296 medical units—including neonatal, intensive care, paediatric and obstetrics wards—with more than 2,010 vital medical devices, benefiting over 600,000 newborns and young children. The effort represents an investment of over €21 million since 2010. In the first half of 2026 the organisation supplied 10 units with 24 new devices worth over €400 000, and plans to equip a further 25 units and modernise five child‑risk monitoring centres by the end of the year.

The programme is credited with reducing premature infant mortality, decreasing transfers to higher‑level hospitals by up to 70 % in some units, and improving early stabilisation and respiratory outcomes for newborns.