India among 5 'exemplar countries' in child mortality reduction: UN

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) With better health system investment, including Ayushman Bharat programme, India has been ranked among the five ‘exemplar countries’ in child mortality reduction, according to a report by the United Nations. 

The recent report on Child Mortality Estimation showed that despite facing financial and geographical challenges to service delivery countries like Burundi, Ghana, India, Nepal, and Senegal have accelerated progress in reducing preventable child deaths.

“These countries illustrate that with political will, evidence-based strategies, and sustained investments, even resource-constrained settings facing unique challenges can achieve substantial reductions in mortality, bringing the world closer to an end to preventable child deaths,” the report said.

As per data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Infant Mortality Rate reduced from 32 per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 28 per 1000 live births in 2020 (against a target of 28 by the year 2019).

India's under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) has significantly declined, from 45 to 32 per 1,000 live births between 2014 and 2020.

The report stated that India made these gains through health system investment.

“Since 2000, India achieved an under-five mortality reduction of 70 per cent and a neonatal mortality reduction of 61 per cent, driven by overlapping measures to increase health coverage, enhance available interventions and develop health infrastructure and human resources,” the UN report said.

It cited the government’s flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat -- the world’s largest health insurance scheme -- for providing pregnant women with delivery, and nutritional benefits as well as infant care.

“Every pregnant woman (in India) is entitled to free delivery (including caesarean section), and infant care provides free transport, medications, diagnostics, and dietary support in public health institutions,” the report said.

Further, it noted how India has strengthened health infrastructure with the establishment of “maternity waiting homes, maternal and child health wings, newborn stabilisation units, sick newborn care units, mother newborn care units and a dedicated programme for birth defect screening”.

Other interventions include antenatal corticosteroids for preterm labour, the use of continuous positive airway pressure, and follow-up for vision and hearing to help support newborn survival.

“This ensures millions of healthy pregnancies and thriving live births each year,” the report said.

The country has also prioritised the training and deployment of skilled birth attendants, such as midwives and community health workers, to provide appropriate maternal and child health services. In addition, data systems and digital surveillance of maternal, newborn, and child health indicators are continuously improved to support evidence-based decision-making.