India Registers Three Point Decline In Infant Mortality - The India Saga

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India Registers Three Point Decline In Infant Mortality

India has registered a significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), according to the latest Sample Registration Survey (SRS) bulletin.…

India Registers Three Point Decline In Infant Mortality

India has registered a significant decline in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), according to the latest Sample Registration Survey (SRS) bulletin.

The IMR in the country has declined by three points–8% decline– from 37 per 1,000 live births in 2015 to 34 per 1000 live births in 2016, compared to two points decline last year.

India also recorded a major drop in birth cohort, which has for the first time, come down to below 25 million. Also, there were 90,000 fewer infant deaths in 2016 as compared to 2015. The total number of estimated infant deaths have come down from 9,30,000 (9.3 lakh) in 2015 to 8,40,000 (8.4 lakh) in 2016.

According to the SRS Bulletin, the gender gap in India for child survival is reducing steadily. The gender difference between female and male IMR has now reduced to less than10%, giving a major boost to the ÂBeti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme of the Government.

The results signify that the strategic approach of the Ministry has started yielding dividends and the efforts of focusing on low performing States is paying off. Among the EAG States and Assam, all States except Uttarakhand have reported decline in IMR in comparison to 2015. The decline is reported as 4 points in Bihar, 3 points in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand and two points decline in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Rajasthan.

These remarkable achievements in merely one year is also the result of a countrywide efforts to increase the health service coverage through various initiatives of the Government that includes strengthening of service delivery; quality assurance; RMNCH+A; human resources, community processes; information and knowledge; drugs and diagnostics, and supply chain management, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

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