The Start-Up Mortality List (SMoL) has been designed to be in line with the International Classification of Diseases version 10 (ICD-10), and informs setting public health priorities and tracking progress towards national and international targets and goals such as the post-2015 health and development agenda. This list is designed to be a first step towards standardized reporting of causes of death. Countries lacking the capacities to code to ICD-10 3- or 4-digits should use the SMoL. Wherever capacity exists or completeness of reporting is sufficient, the full ICD should be used, ideally in combination with electronic coding tools.
