New Delhi, May 10 (H.S.): The 2021 Sample Registration System (SRS) report by the Registrar General of India (RGI) highlights substantial improvements in maternal and child health indicators in India. The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has reduced to 93 per one lakh live births, down from 97, while the infant mortality rate (IMR) fell to 31 per 1000 children, from 45 in 2014. The total fertility rate remains stable at 2.0.

According to the SRS 2021 report, eight states have already achieved the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for maternal mortality ratio, including Kerala (20), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (45), Andhra Pradesh (46), Tamil Nadu (49), Jharkhand (51), Gujarat (53), and Karnataka (63). By 2030, twelve states/Union Territories have already achieved the SDG target for under-five mortality rate (U5MR) (<=25 by 2030), including Kerala (8), Delhi (14), Tamil Nadu (14), Jammu and Kashmir (16), Maharashtra (16), West Bengal (20), Karnataka (21), Punjab (22), Telangana (22), Himachal Pradesh (23), Andhra Pradesh (24), and Gujarat (24). Six states/Union Territories have already achieved the SDG target for neonatal mortality rate (NMR) (with a target of 12 deaths by 2030), including Kerala (4), Delhi (8), Tamil Nadu (9), Maharashtra (11), Jammu and Kashmir (12), and Himachal Pradesh (12) have met the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for MMR.

Twelve states have achieved the SDG target for under-five mortality rate (U5MR), while six states reach the target for neonatal mortality rate (NMR). Overall, India has seen an 86% reduction in MMR since 1990.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar