Globally, the infant mortality rate is regarded as an important indicator of understanding population health. The rate varies substantially across the world with the highest found in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Plecher (2020), the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) was 31.9 deaths per 1000 live births while World Health Organization (WHO) 2017 states that IMR was 29 deaths per thousand live births. Despite the renewed focus and recent progress in infant mortality, achieving the sustainable development goal (SDG) target in infant mortality of 25 deaths per 1000 live births will be a challenge unless factors influencing infant mortality receive more attention. It has also been observed that infant mortality in Chepalungu Sub County is not an exemption since infant mortality in Bomet County is higher at 57 per 1000 Compared with the National rate of 54 per 1000. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to establish factors underlying infant mortality in Chepalungu sub-county. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Descriptive survey design describes the distribution of and relationship among variables. The study targeted all household mothers in the reproductive age 18-49 and key informants in Chepalungu sub-county. Purposive and Stratified simple random sampling was used to select 385 mothers and 4 key informants in Chepalungu Sub-County. Data was collected using questionnaire and interview schedule. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequency, percentage, and Chi-square while qualitative data was coded, transcribed and organized thematically. The study findings may form a platform upon which demographic and health policy may be formulated and that it will be useful to other future researchers. Study concluded that high infant mortality was attributable to low level of education of the mothers, large household sizes, difficulty in access to health facilities, mother’s income as well as spouse’s income, place of delivery and type of marriage while place for medical attention for infants does not have any relationship with infant mortality. Further, environmental factors have a greater bearing on infant health and as such explain infant mortality. The study recommends that the ministry of health, County governments and Community Based Organization (CBOs) should roll out health education programs targeted at women on the human waste disposal, safe drinking water and safe cooking fuel. They will also encourage income activities for self-sustainability and mothers will be made to know the need to give birth in a health facility. This can be done through forums in the women groups, pre-natal clinics and barazas as well as church forums. Future research should be conducted to include: causes of infant mortality, biological factors influencing infant mortality and climatic determinants of infant mortality by region.

Keywords: Infant, Mortality, Population, Health, Household, Reproductive age, Facilities.

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