"Infant mortality rate is one of the indicators for overall health of a country according to the World Health Organization,” Mehr news agency quoted Mohammad Zonouzi-Rad as saying.

He made the remarks on the occasion of the annual congress of the Iranian Society of Pediatrics.

Luckily, the country takes pride in its record of having the fewest infant mortality rate in the region which is even comparable to the European countries, Zonouzi-Rad added.

The global infant mortality is 11 deaths per 1,000 live births. While the indicator is higher than 11 in West Asia, infant mortality rate for Iran is 7.5 deaths per 1,000 live births. 

He went on to say that this remarkable achievement is the result of collaborative efforts;  training competent staff including physicians and nurses; and providing essential equipment and pharmaceuticals.

Also, the country has been successful in preventing  infectious diseases that are prevalent among infants and children in the past few decades.

"We have managed to eradicate some diseases that are still prevalent in neighboring countries, such as polio and measles,” the official stressed.