10 September 2026

SDLP Opposition Health Spokesperson Colin McGrath MLA has called for urgent action from the Health Minister after a major report found that Northern Ireland's infant mortality rate has increased.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's State of Child Health 2026 report shows that Northern Ireland's infant mortality rate rose from 4.2 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 4.5 in 2024, the highest rate reported in the UK for that year.

Colin McGrath MLA said:

"It is extremely worrying to see infant mortality increasing in the North and it should be a matter of real concern for the Executive. Behind these figures are families who have lost a child, and we should never lose sight of that.

"We already know many of the pressures that have led us to this point, and this report lays them bare. Children growing up in our poorest communities are more likely to suffer poor health, families are struggling to get the support they need and the staff working with mothers and babies are under enormous pressure.

"I will be writing to the Health Minister asking for an urgent response and I want more than an acknowledgement that these figures are concerning. The College has put forward practical steps, including a properly funded Child Death Review system, the delivery of Healthy Child, Healthy Future and investing in midwives, health visitors and family nurses.

"The Minister needs to tell us which of these recommendations he will take forward, when the work will begin and how it will be funded. If there are recommendations he will not be implementing, he should explain why.

"We are talking about children's lives and their futures. This report cannot be filed away and forgotten like so many others. The Minister must act on it, and I will continue pressing him on this until we have a clear plan for action."