Infant mortality rate declines in India

There has been a decrease of infant and maternal mortality rates in India, according to government data.

As per the latest Sample Registration Survey data, Infant Mortality Ratio (IMR) has reduced to 47 in 2010 from 58 in 2005 and maternal mortality ratio (MMR) had declined from 254 in 2004-06 to 212 in 2007-09.

Noteworthy achievements have been recorded in states like Orissa, Rajasthan and Bihar where IMR has dropped by over 13 points since 2005.

Fall in rural IMR has been consistently more than urban IMR for the last three years, the data said.

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Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan have recorded the largest fall in Maternal Mortality Ratio of 90, 81, 81 and 70 points respectively, it said.

The data were made public by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who released the reports of 5th Common Review Mission and 8th Joint Review Mission of the National Rural Health Mission at National Dissemination workshop held in New Delhi.

Azad said provision of providing essential drugs free of cost to the poor is being planned in the 12th Plan.

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The key findings of CRM include state reports of steady increase in caseload, range and quality of services offered by the public health facilities and an increase in availability of sick newborn care units and newborn care corners.

The teams have noted that Mother and Child Tracking System and Health Management Information System have been established in all the states and districts. E-transfer of funds and capacity building have also yielded positive results.

The need to increase technical and managerial resources in high focus states, strengthening of training institutions, provision of incentives to encourage skilled service providers to work in difficult areas and high focus districts are some of the recommendations of the report.

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