'Jharkhand infant mortality rate fifth-lowest among 21 states'

RANCHI: Jharkhand's infant mortality rate (IMR) has improved but the state still has a lot of ground to cover, a recent survey conducted by the office of the Registrar General of India revealed.
The Sample Registration Survey (SRS) of 2017, whose findings were released late last month, has put Jharkhand's IMR at 29 deaths per 1,000 live births. The SRS bulletin - which is the latest survey of India's health indicators on birth rate, death rate, natural growth rate and IMR - has shown a better performance of Jharkhand in comparison to 2015-16, when 44 out of every 1,000 newborns had died.
The latest study has shown a heavy drop in IMR in rural areas of the state. In 2017, as many as 30 of 1,000 infants had died in rural areas while in 2015-16, the death rate was 46 deaths per 1,000 live births. In 2017, IMR at urban areas was at 24 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The state has been jointly ranked fifth among 21 states with Telangana. While Kerala has the lowest IMR at 10, Madhya Pradesh has the highest at 47 per live births. Jharkhand's IMR is also better than the national average, which stands at 33 deaths per 1,000 live births.
Nitin Madan Kulkarni, state health secretary, attributed the performance to a host of measures being undertaken. "Over the last few years, ante-natal care is being provided to as many as 80% of pregnant women. Institutional delivery has risen and the distribution system of iron folic acid (IFA) tablets to pregnant mothers have been strengthened. Ambulance services, rolled out for ferrying pregnant women for institutional delivery, has also helped in reduction of IMR," Kulkarni said.