Kerala is once again the state with the lowest infant mortality rate in the country, with just 95 deaths reported per one lakh live births. Assam, with 480 deaths per one lakh live births, is at the lowest of the table. According to the Union Health Ministry, which has released the new estimates, the National Rural Health Mission’s (NHRM) phase-II of the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) programme, aiming to reduce infant and maternal mortalities, and total fertility rates in the country, especially in the rural areas, has started showing results, says G Rajiv.
The national maternal mortality rate (MMR) has come down from 301 per one lakh live births during 2001-03 to 254 per one lakh live births during 2004-06.
The maternal mortality rate in the state has come down to 95 per one lakh live births from 110 per one lakh live births in 2001-03.
In the infant mortality rate, Kerala is followed by Tamil Nadu with 111 deaths per one lakh live births.
Kerala’s efforts under the NRHM in controlling the infant mortality rate should be laudable and will be made a model for the entire country. Since 2005, infant mortality has been much lower in Kerala when compared to the national average, according to the report.
If 14 deaths were reported per 1,000 live births in 2005, the national average was 58 per 1,000.
In 2006, it was 15 per 1000 in Kerala when it was 57 per 1,000 in India.
In 2007, it was 13 per 1000 in Kerala and in the country it was 55 per 1000.
In 2008, it came down to 12 per 1000, when it was 53 per 1,000 in the country.
Phase-II of RCH programme
Under the umbrella of the NRHM, the phase-II of the RCH programme is aimed at improving the access for rural people, especially poor women and children to equitable, affordable accountable and effective primary health care, with the ultimate objective of reducing infant mortality, maternal mortality and total fertility rates.
Key strategies under NRHM
Janani Suraksha Yojana, a cash benefit scheme to promote institutional delivery with a special focus on below poverty line and SC/ST pregnant women, operationalising round-the-clock facilities for delivery services in selected hospitals across the state, placement of more doctors in the rural sector, etc were some of the key strategies employed under the NRHM in the state with an aim to reduce the infant and maternal mortality ratio.