Major drop in infant death rate in all states

New Delhi: The country seems to be in the pink of health, with the latest government health survey showing positive trends in key health indicators.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) for 2015-16, unveiled by the Union health ministry, reflects that concerted efforts and focused interventions in the health sector are translating to improved outcomes.

“Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) declined from 57 to 41 per 1,000 live births between NFHS-3 (2005-06) and NFHS-4. IMR has declined substantially in almost all the states during the last decade. It dropped by more than 20 percentage points in Tripura, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Aruna-chal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Odisha. “IMR substantially declined over the period from 79 per 1,000 live births in NFHS-1 (1992-93) to 41 per 1,000 live births in NFHS-4,” health secretary C.K. Mishra said.

Sex ratio at birth (females per 1,000 males) improved from 914 to 919 at the national level over the last decade with highest in Kerala (1,047), followed by Meghalaya (1,009) and Chhattisgarh (977). Haryana also witnessed a significant increase from 762 to 836.

Similarly, institutional births “dramatically” increased by 40 percentage points from 38.7 per cent in NFHS-3 to 78.9 per cent in NFHS-4. There was an increase of 34.1 per cent institutional births in public facilities, while each of the empowered action group states and Assam have experienced more than a 40 percentage point increase.

“Targeted approach through Janani Suraksha Yojana has paid off,” Mr Mishra said.

The ministry said that the proportion of women who received at least 4 antenatal care visits for their last birth has increased by 14 percentage points from 37 per cent to 51.2 per cent over the decade (2005-15), while there has been a substantial increase of 20 or more percentage points in 7 states. Total Fertility Rate (TFR) too declined to 2.2 children per woman from 2.7 in NFHS-3 moving closer to target level of 2.1.

The survey found that there was considerable decline in the TFR in each of the 30 states in India with the maximum decline observed in Uttar Pradesh (1.1 child ) followed by Nagaland (1.0 child), Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim (0.9 childe ach). Bihar however failed to register substantial decline. “Children age 12-23 months fully immunized (BCG, measles and 3 doses each of polio and DPT increased by 18 percentage points from 44 per cent in NFHS-3 to 62 per cent in NFHS-4.

The survey also found that the full immunization coverage increased in   Punjab, Bihar and Meghalaya by 29 percentage point each, while Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh increased by 28 percentage points each.