In a significant milestone, India has achieved landmark achievement in further reduction of child mortality rates. As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report 2020 released on 22nd September 2022 by Registrar General of India (RGI), the country has been witnessing a progressive reduction in IMR, U5MR and NMR since 2014 towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets by 2030.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated the nation on this achievement and thanked all health workers, caregivers and community members for relentlessly working towards reducing child mortality. “There has been sustained decline since 2014, as revealed by SRS 2020. India is poised to meet 2030 SDG targets of child mortality under leadership of Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji with focused interventions, strong Centre-State partnership and dedication of all health workers”, he stated.

Following a steady downward trend, IMR, U5MR and NMR have further declined:

· Under 5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) for the country has shown significant decline of 3 points (Annual Decline Rate: 8.6%) from 2019 (32 per 1000 live births in 2020 against 35 per 1000 live births in 2019). It varies from 36 in rural areas to 21 in urban areas.

• • U5MR for Female is higher (33) than male (31). There has been a decline of 4 points in male U5MR and 3 points in female U5MR during the corresponding period.
  • Highest decline of U5MR is observed in the State of Uttar Pradesh (5 points) and Karnataka (5 points)

• Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has also registered 2-point decline to 28 per 1000 live births in 2020 from 30 per 1000 live births in 2019 (Annual Decline Rate: 6.7%).
  • The Rural-Urban difference has narrowed to 12 points (Urban 19, Rural-31).
  • No gender differential has observed in 2020 (Male -28, Female - 28).

• Neonatal Mortality Rate has also declined by 2 points from 22 per 1000 live births in 2019 to 20 per 1000 live births in 2020 (Annual Decline Rate: 9.1%). It ranges from 12 in urban areas to 23 in rural areas.

As per SRS 2020 Report,

• • Six (6) States/ UT have already attained SDG target of NMR (<=12 by 2030):  Kerala (4), Delhi (9), Tamil Nadu (9), Maharashtra (11), Jammu & Kashmir (12) and Punjab (12).
  • Eleven (11) States/UT have already attained SDGs target of U5MR (<=25 by 2030): Kerala (8), Tamil Nadu (13), Delhi (14), Maharashtra (18), J&K (17), Karnataka (21), Punjab (22), West Bengal (22), Telangana (23), Gujarat (24), and Himachal Pradesh (24).

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MV

HFW/SRS 2020-Child Mortality rates/23 Sept 2022/4