A child younger than one year of age (i.e., birth to twelve months) is termed an infant. Nearly 5.2 million children less than five died in 2019, with close to 75 percent dying in the first year. The infant mortality rate (IMR) is the probability of dying between birth and exactly one year of age expressed per one thousand live births and remains a key indicator to track child health and survival. Globally, infant deaths have markedly decreased during the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) period and beyond. The IMR is closely linked to the neonatal period as the greatest risk of mortality in the first year is during the first twenty-eight days of life. Out of the 3.9 million infants who died in 2019, nearly 2.4 million (61.5 percent) died in the first month. Globally, the leading causes of neonatal mortality are complications from preterm birth, intrapartum-related neonatal events, and neonatal infections. Preterm birth complications, the leading cause of under-five and infant deaths, account for nearly 35 percent of all neonatal deaths. Addressing causes of neonatal mortality is critical in reducing global infant mortality and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.2. With the COVID-19 pandemic and its predicted long-term effects on maternal and child health, health systems, and food security this challenge is all the greater.