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Abstract
The global child mortality rate has dropped significantly in the last two
decades with Sub-Saharan Africa experiencing the fastest decline.
However, Mali seems to be an exception, with a barely noticeable annual
reduction rate of 1.8% between 1990 and 2011. We hypothesize that an
increase in the number of climate shocks are partially responsible for the
slow decline of child mortality in Mali. Using unique household survey
panel data between 1994 and 2010 and daily climate measures from
National Climate Data Center, we analyze the impact of climate shocks on
child mortality in Sikasso, Mali. Applying survival analysis, we find
significant effects of rain shocks on child mortality. Furthermore, higher
numbers of women in the household and proximity to health facilities have
a positive effect on child survival. When faced with an increased number
of climate shocks, better infrastructure and healthcare facilities in the most
affected regions may be able to mitigate the risk of child death in the future.