Infant Mortality in India

India's attempts to reduce infant mortality rate has been insufficient according to International standards. According to a report brought out by the International Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health an organization comprising about 240 members such as UNICEF, WHO and Save the Children that tracks the progress made by 68 priority countries which accounts for 97% of maternal and child deaths worldwide only 16(24%) were on the track to meet the Millennium Development Goals compared to 7 of 60 (12%) in 2015.India is however is not one of them. India's average annual rate of reduction of child deaths between 1990-2006 has been just 2.6%.

India's progress towards MDG target in child mortality in the report "The Countdown to 2015:Maternal,Newborn and Child survival published in the medical journal 'Lancet' has been found to be insufficient and its level of maternal mortality has been termed high.

While India's target under the MDG for mortality of children under age 5 is 38 per 1000 live births, the number of children who die before their fifth birthday stands at 76 at present. Infant mortality rate in India stands at 57 per 1000 live births while neonatal mortality rate –deaths in the first month of life stands at 43 per 1000 live births.

Only 46% infants under 6 months are being exclusively breastfed .Also only 41% births have been registered. According to Dr Francisco Songane director of WHO's partnership for maternal, newborn and child heath India along with Bangladesh, Pakistani and Indonesia contribute over 50% of all maternal and child death globally. India's population is massive and even if the ratio of maternal and child mortality may not be high, the number is staggering.

India is among the 26 countries in the list of 68 where progress has been found to be insufficient. If India wants to achieve the agreed targets by 2015 the required rate to reduce child and maternal mortality will have to be 7.6% from 2007-2015.

The report also identifies a series of missed opportunities. It says only 1/3 of women in the 68 priority countries are using a modern contraceptive method – a proven means of boosting maternal and infant survival. Only 50% women and newborns benefit from a skilled birth attendant at the time of birth globally. Only about 1/3 of children with pneumonia ,the biggest single killer of children get treatment while under nutrition has been the underlying cause of 3.5 million child deaths annually and as many as 20% of maternal deaths.

Causes of Maternal Deaths in Asia
• Abortion 6%
• Obstructed labour 9%
• Hypertensive disorder 9%
• Sepsis/Infection including AIDS 12%
• Anaemia 13%
• Haemorrhage 31%
• Other causes 21%