india

Updated: Nov 09, 2019 07:11 IST

Fewer women are dying during childbirth in India, with the country’s maternal mortality rate (MMR) – the number of mothers dying per 100,000 live births – declining from 130 to 122 in one year, according to data released by the Registrar General of India on Friday, putting India on track to beating a UN deadline by five years.

“Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) of India has declined by 8 points in one year… This decline is important as it translates to nearly 2,000 additional pregnant women saved annually,” said Harsh Vardhan, Union minister of health and family welfare.

According to the data, MMR has declined from 130 per 100,000 live births in 2014-16 to 122 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015-17, a decline of 6.42%.

“With this persistent decline, India is on track to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target for reducing MMR by 2025, five years ahead of timeline of 2030,” Vardhan said.

Eleven states have achieved the ambitious target of MMR of 100 per 100, 000 live births by 2020 set under the National Health Policy 2017. The states are Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Karnataka and Haryana.

The most important feature of this bulletin is that MMR in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have been published independently for the first time. Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana, have shown a decline in MMR that is greater than or equal to the national average of 6.42%.

“This has been possible because of the gains made in institutional deliveries and focused approach towards high priority districts and inter-sectoral action to reach the most marginalized and vulnerable population. Focus on quality and coverage of health services through public health initiatives under the National Health Mission such as Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan, Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram and Janani Suraksha Yojana have contributed to this decline,” Vardhan said.

While overall improvement is satisfactory, there still are some states lagging behind. The states that need to catch up are Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan that will be required to intensify their efforts to accelerate the MMR decline.