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Maternal mortality ratio in the country drops to 130 from 167
Why it is in news?
- The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) data indicating the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has brought glad tidings.
- As per the data, the MMR (number of maternal deaths per 1,00,000 live births) has dropped from 167 (in 2011-2013, the last SRS period) to 130 for the country.This 28% drop is an achievement arising from painstakingly reducing the MMR in each of the States.
- The SRS segments States into three groups:
- Empowered Action Group (EAG) — Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand and Assam
- Southern States — Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu
- Others — the remaining States and union territories.
Facts
- The highest reduction from the last SRS is with the EAG States at 23%, a drop from 246 (2011-2013) to 188, while the Other States have dropped by 19%, taking the MMR down from 115 in 2011-2013, to 93 now.
- Southern States, which are at a better average of 77, dropped 17%.
- Truly encouraging is the massive drop of 29% in Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand where the MMR has dropped from 285 to 201.
- Kerala remains at the top with an MMR of 46 (down from 61).
- Maharashtra retains its second position with 61, but the pace of fall has been much lower, dropping from 68 during 2011-13.
- Tamil Nadu with 66 (79) is in the third position.
- India has bettered the MDG target of 139 for 2014-2016 which is the outcome of systematic work undertaken by the Centre and States under the NHM.
- Three States (Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra) have already achieved the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of MMR 70 (By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births).
- The Union health ministry is attributing this improvement mainly to rise in institutional deliveries across the country.
- The facilities in public hospitals and health centers have also improved.
- Government is providing free drugs and diagnostics among other incentives to pregnant women that has led to increase in admissions for delivery over the years.
Source
The Hindu