Indian infant mortality rate dips

Cincinnati Sun (IANS) Thursday 3rd February, 2011

The infant mortality rate (IMR) - which reflects the number of deaths per 1,000 live births - has dipped by three points in both rural and urban areas of the country, as per the latest estimates released by the union health and family welfare ministry Thursday.

The IMR in urban areas came down from 53 in 2008 to 50 in 2009, while in rural areas the figure dropped from 58 in 2008 to 55 in 2009, according to the sample registration system (SRS) estimates.

The SRS is a large-scale demographic survey used for providing reliable annual estimates of birth rate, death rate and other fertility and morality indicators at the national and sub-national levels. The SRS sample is replaced every 10 years, based on the latest census frame.

According to the data, Goa has reported the lowest IMR of 11 followed by Kerala with 12.

While there has been a drop of three points in the national average for IMR, states like Bihar, Karnataka, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have reported a dip of four points in the rate.

The IMR dropped from 56 to 52 in Bihar, 45 to 41 in Karnataka, 69 to 65 in Orissa and 63 to 59 in Rajasthan.

Daman and Diu registered the maximum drop of seven points, from an IMR of 31 to 24. In Lakshadweep, the IMR came down from 31 to 25.