Lok Sabha Question No. 3789 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-24
Subject: Infant Deaths
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: MOHAMMAD SALIM, C.S. PUTTARAJU, ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE, PARAYAMPARANBIL KUTTAPPAN BIJU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3789 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th MARCH, 2017

## INFANT DEATHS

## 3789. SHRI MOHD. SALIM:

SHRI C.S. PUTTA RAJU:

SHRI ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE:

SHRI P.K. BIJU:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  there  has  been  an  increase in  infant  mortality  rate  in  the  country particularly  in Maharashtra during the last three years;
- (b) the number of infants died in the last three years in the country due to such diseases which are curable, State - wise and disease - wise;
- (c) whether the Government believes that the main causes of rise in infant death rate are due to shortage of special new born caseunits, new born stabilization units and new born care corners thereof, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the number of such functional units and their bed capacities and the number of units opened during the last two years in rural and urban areas, separate ly; and
- (e)  whether  India  has  the  highest number of infant deaths due to premature births, if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government for overcome these situations?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## (SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

- (a) : No . As per the Sample Registration System report of the Registrar General of Indi Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in India has declined from 42 per 1000 live births in 2012 t 2015. Similarly, in the State of Maharashtra, the IMR has declined from 25 in 2012 to 21 in 2015.
- (b) : As per the latest available data from the Registrar General of India (RGI), the ca infant  deaths  between  2010  and  2013,  in  India  are  Prematurity  &  low  birth  weight  (35. Pneumonia (16.9%), Birth asphyxia & birth trauma (9.9%), Other non -communicable diseases (7.9%), Diarrhoeal diseases (6.7%), Ill - defined or cause unknown (4.6%), Congenital anomalies (4.6%), Infections (4.2%), Injuries (2.1%), Fever of unknown origin (1.7%) , and  Others (5.4%).

The RGI does not provide state wise causes of deaths.

(c) & (d): The death of newborn within 28 days of life contribute 68% of infant deaths. In order to address newborn mortality, Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) have been establish all across the country. Presently, 661 SNCUs are established at district level with m 11,000 beds and cater to both rural and urb an population. Besides this, there are 2321 newborn stabilization units at first referral units and 18,323 newborn care corners at all delive last two years (2015 - 16 and 2016 - 17), a total of 96 SNCUs, 417 NBSUs and 4160 NBCCs have been added under National Health Mission.

(e): According  to  Registrar  General  of  India,  preterm  births  and  low  birth  weight  ar leading causes of infant deaths, contributing to 35.9% of total infant mortality in the co

In order to address the problem of premature births, Government has taken several steps in  the  form  of  delaying  age  of  child  birth,  promoting  birth  spacing,  improving  qual antenatal care including screening for hypertension, diabetes and infection and use of corticosteroid n  preterm  labour.  Besides  this,  provision  has  been  made  for  management  o preterm babies in Special Newborn Care Units established at district level including prov Kangaroo Mother Care.