India sees big drop in maternal and child deaths: Report
India has shown progress in improving maternal and child health. According to the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) 2021 report released by the Registrar General of India, the country witnessed a decline in maternal and child mortality over recent years.MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTHThe Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), which reflects the number of maternal deaths per one lakh live births, dropped from 130 in 2014–16 to 93 in 2019–21.advertisement
Child health indicators have also improved:Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) fell from 39 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 27 in 2021.Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) declined from 26 to 19 in the same period.Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) dropped from 45 to 31 per 1,000 live births.The Sex Ratio at Birth has improved from 899 girls per 1,000 boys in 2014 to 913 in 2021.The Total Fertility Rate (average number of children per woman) remained stable at 2.0 in 2021, down from 2.3 in 2014.
Several states and union territories met the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets for reducing maternal and child mortality, well ahead of the 2030 deadline.advertisementFor maternal mortality, the sustainable development goal target is to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 70 or fewer deaths per one lakh live births.Kerala topped the list of low MMR of 20, followed by Maharashtra (38), Telangana (45), Andhra Pradesh (46), Tamil Nadu (49), Jharkhand (51), Gujarat (53), and Karnataka (63).These states made progress in ensuring safer pregnancies and better maternal care services, resulting in fewer women dying due to pregnancy-related complications.
For maternal mortality, the sustainable development goal target is to reduce the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 70 or fewer deaths per one lakh live births. ()
In terms of child health, the Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR), which is the number of deaths of children under five per 1,000 live births, has a target of 25 or fewer.Twelve states and union territories already brought their U5MR within this target. These included Kerala and Delhi, both reporting just 14 deaths per 1,000 live births, as well as Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Karnataka, Punjab, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat.advertisementThese regions have shown improvement in child healthcare, immunisation, and nutrition, helping more children survive beyond their early years.
Similarly, the Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR), which measures deaths within the first 28 days of life, has a target of 12 or fewer per 1,000 live births.Kerala stood out with an NMR of just 4. Other regions that achieved this goal were Delhi (8), Tamil Nadu (9), Maharashtra (11), and both Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh at 12.These states strengthened newborn care services, including improved delivery practices, neonatal intensive care units, and early detection and treatment of complications, which are crucial for saving newborn lives.To track progress, the Health Ministry boosted digital platforms to collect real-time health data, to make evidence-based decisions and adjust strategies where needed.
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