Phulo Devi was elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Chhattisgarh as a member of the Indian Nation Congress in the year 2020. These questions were presented to Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, currently serving as the minister of Health and Family Welfare and is a Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat.

Notably, infant mortality is the death of an infant before their first birthday, i.e. the infant mortality rate is the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. As per the data provided, India stands at an infant mortality rate for SC community of 40.7. The highest infant mortality rate amongst the SC is in that state of Uttar Pradesh, presenting at a rate of 57.8. The data further shows the lowest infant mortality rate amongst the SC community to be in in Jammu and Kashmir with a rate of 13.8.

It is crucial to note that the data provided by the union is incomplete as information regarding 9 states, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, was either is not available or had been taken in the form of an unweighted mean. Hence, the data provided in the response by the government could not be deemed to be accurate as the infant mortality rate for 9 out of 30 states is not accurate.

In regards to the infant mortality rate for STs, India’s rate is 41.6. The state of Chhattisgarh has a rate of infant mortality rate of 58, the highest amongst the ST community. On the other hand, the lowest infant mortality rate amongst the ST community was reported from the north-east state of Manipur, with a rate of 23.2. Similar as before, the said data on infant mortality rate for STs did not provide accurate information for a total of 14 states/Union Territories.

Data had also been provided on child mortality rate prevailing in both the SC and ST community. It is to be noted that child mortality is the death of a child before reaching the age of 5 years, i.e., the child mortality rate is the number of child deaths for every 1,000 live births. The data table provides that the child mortality rate for SC and ST stands at 8.6 and 9.0 respectively.

For child mortality rate for the SC community, the highest was 13.8 in the state of Jharkhand, while the lowest was the rate of 1.5 in West Bengal. Here too, the information regarding nine states was missing. It is important to point out that these nine states are the same states for which there is no information or inaccurate information regarding the infant mortality rate amongst the Scheduled Castes.

Based on the data, the highest child mortality rate amongst the Scheduled Tribes was in Madhya Pradesh at 13.9. Meanwhile, the lowest child mortality rate was in West Bengal with 0 deaths. Here, information regarding 13 states was not found.

The data provided in the response by the union government was based on the state-wise figures of NFHS-5 (2019-21).

The table is as follows:

It can be deduced that while significant strides have been made through initiatives like the National Health Policy 2017 and the National Health Mission (NHM) to enhance accessibility, affordability, and quality healthcare for all, there remains considerable room for improvement for the SC and ST community. As highlighted above, gaps persist in achieving true universal health coverage and addressing the diverse needs of the population, particularly the marginalized and economically disadvantaged groups. Further concerted action and innovative strategies are essential to bridge these gaps and ensure that no individual faces financial hardship or exclusion from essential healthcare services. Continued commitment to the principles of equity, affordability, universality, and quality care, along with sustained collaborative efforts between the government, healthcare providers, and communities, will be pivotal in advancing towards comprehensive and inclusive healthcare for all.

The complete answer can be read here:

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Despite the reduction, India’s IMR in 2017 remained higher than the global 29.4, a rate equivalent to that of the West African nation of Senegal and higher than most South Asian neighbours’ except that of Pakistan and Myanmar.

IMR is considered a rough indicator of a country’s overall healthcare scenario. The latest data come from the Sample Registration Survey (SRS) Bulletin, which is released by office of Registrar General and Census Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs. The last SRS bulletin was released in September 2017.

In 2017, India’s rural areas had an IMR of 37 and urban areas 23, revealing difference in healthcare quality and access despite implementation of a national programme to bridge this gap, the National Rural Health Mission, since 2005.

Source: Sample Registration Survey 2019, 2007

Among Indian states, Madhya Pradesh recorded the most number of deaths of children younger than one (IMR 47) in 2017, followed by Assam (44) and Arunachal Pradesh (42). Madhya Pradesh’s IMR was equivalent to that of the West African country Niger’s, 80% of whose land area lies in the Sahara Desert and which ranked the very last on the United Nations’ Human Development Index in 2018.

As for the Indian states that performed well, Nagaland recorded the lowest IMR of 7–corresponding to that of Kuwait and Lebanon–followed by Goa (9) and Kerala (10).

Close behind were Puducherry (11), Sikkim (12)  and Manipur (12), all small states (with a population of less than 10 million), except Puducherry, which is a union territory (federally administered area).

Large improvement in some states

When compared to 2006 SRS figures for IMR, among India’s larger states (with a population larger than 10 million), New Delhi and Tamil Nadu both slashed their infant mortality rates by 57%–from 37 in 2006 to 16 in 2017.

Other states which showed similar declines were Jammu and Kashmir (-56%), Himachal Pradesh (-56%) and Punjab (-52%).
Among smaller states, Nagaland showed the most decline of 65% from 20 in 2006 to 7 in 2017, followed by smaller state Sikkim (-64%) and union territories Dadra & Nagar Haveli (-63%) and Puducherry (-61%).

Slow change in others

Similarly, states of Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh are the only ones where the IMR increased between 2006 and 2017, from 11 to 12, and 40 to 42, respectively.

Uttarakhand (-5%), West Bengal (-15.8%) and Tripura (-19.4%) are states showing the slowest decline in IMR between 2006 and 2017.

Source: World Bank

Indian IMR worse than most neighbours’

India’s IMR of 33, as we said before, remained worse than that of Nepal (28), Bangladesh (27), Bhutan (26), Sri Lanka (8) and China (8), but better than that of Pakistan (61) and Myanmar (30).

Household wealth and maternal education play an important role in infant and child mortality, and states with more educated women show better health outcomes for children, IndiaSpend reported on March 20, 2017. Also, a child born in a household on the highest stratum of the wealth index was about three times more likely to survive early childhood compared to a child born in the lowest stratum,  IndiaSpend reported in January 2018.

Only one third of women (35.7%) have more than ten years of schooling in India while there is high inequality where nine individuals own wealth equivalent to 50% of the country.

Indiaspend.org is a data-driven, public-interest journalism non-profit/FactChecker.in is fact-checking initiative, scrutinising for veracity and context statements made by individuals and organisations in public life.

(Yadavar is a principal correspondent with IndiaSpend.)

Courtesy: India Spend

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