CHENNAI: The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the state has dropped from 13 to 8.2 per 1,000 live births, as per the Health Management Information System (HMIS) data, said Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Thursday.
The Sample Registration System bulletin (2020) released in 2022 showed the IMR at 13 per 1,000 live births.
Speaking to newspersons, Subramanian said various child health schemes in the state helped in reducing the IMR further to 8.2 during the period of April 2023 to December 2023 as per HMIS.
In 2022, the HMIS recorded an IMR of 9.
Ma Subramanian was inaugurating various child health schemes that were announced in the Assembly during 2023-2024 on Thursday. He said the schemes will help reduce the IMR further in the state.
The minister launched Newborn Stabilization Units (NBSUs) at Urban Community Health Centres (UCHC) at Adyar, Emergency Obstetric Care Centre (EOC) at Perumalpet, Saidapet and Shenoy Nagar. “These four NBSUs will play a major role in improving newborn survival and decongesting Special Newborn Care Units at district hospitals,” the minister said.
Subramanian also launched Home Based Young Child Care (HBYC) software to monitor the welfare of children up to the age of two years and released HBYC booklet for anganwadi workers. It was prepared in coordination with the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to enable anganwadi workers to monitor sick or low-birth-weight newborns discharged from SNBC unit. The National Health Mission (NHM) will provide `250 incentive to anganwadi workers for children up to two years for five visits.
He also launched the Genetic Lab, Laminar Flow Equipment to the Comprehensive Lactation Management Unit at the ICH.
The Union Health Ministry awarded the first prize for Tamil Nadu for establishing 19 comprehensive lactation management units and 18 lactation management units, benefiting the maximum number of sick newborns in the country. The state also bagged second prize for its good standing on Anemia Mukth Bharath Index. The state had provided 95% children below 5 years with iron and folic acid.
The health minister appreciated the Nation Health Mission director and director of Public Health for implementing the programme effectively.