Definition & calculation
Divide deaths among children under 5 during the recall period by the mid-period under-5 population and by the number of days, expressed per 10,000 per day.
Means of verification
Mortality surveillance; community death registers; retrospective mortality survey
Interpretation
Direction: Lower is better
Typical reporting frequency: Baseline and endline (or periodic evaluation)
Guidance & common pitfalls
The emergency alert threshold is commonly around 2 deaths/10,000/day. Children under 5 are the most sensitive sentinel group for overall crisis severity; validity depends on a reliable denominator and consistent recall period.
This library is a curated reference to adapt, aligned generically with recognised humanitarian frameworks (Sphere, cluster registries, IASC, CHS and others). It is not an official indicator registry — always use the exact indicator definitions your donor or cluster requires.
Related indicators
- Crude mortality rate (CMR) in the affected population (deaths per 10,000 persons per day)
- % of caregivers of children under 5 who can correctly identify at least two danger signs requiring urgent care
- % of children aged 6-59 months in the target area vaccinated against measles
- % of deliveries in the target population attended by a skilled birth attendant