The Registrar General of India has released a Sample Registration System (SRS) special bulletin on Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) for 2017–2019. India’s MMR has reduced to 103, a decrease of 10 points, when compared to the previous data of 113 in 2016–2018, a decline of about 8.8%.
i.Since India is showing a persistent decline in MMR from 130 in 2014–2016, 122 in 2015–17, 113 in 2016–18, and 103 in 2017–19, it will soon achieve below
- National Health Policy (NHP) target for MMR of 100/lakh live births by 2020.
- United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for MMR of 70/lakh live births by 2030.
ii.Kerala had recorded the lowest MMR of 30/lakh live births when compared to India’s MMR of 103, putting it far ahead of the nation.
Key Highlights of the report:
i.Seven states have achieved SDG’s MMR target (70/lakh live births by 2030): Kerala (30), Maharashtra (38), Telangana (56), Tamil Nadu (58), Andhra Pradesh (58), Jharkhand (61), and Gujarat (70).
ii.Nine states have achieved NHP’s MMR target (100/lakh live births by 2020): the above seven and the states of Karnataka (83) and Haryana (96).
iii. Five states have MMR in between 100-150: Uttarakhand (101), West Bengal (109), Punjab (114), Bihar (130), Odisha (136) and Rajasthan (141).
iv.Four states have MMR above 150: Chhattisgarh (160), Madhya Pradesh (163), Uttar Pradesh (167), also showed an encouraging decline of 30 points and Assam (205).
Decline & Increase Ratio Status
- Three states such as Kerala, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have shown a remarkable decline of more than 15% in their MMR.
- Six states namely, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Bihar, Punjab, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh have shown a decline between 10-15% in their MMR.
- Besides, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha and Karnataka showcased a decline between 5-10% in their MMR.
- Four states namely West Bengal, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh have shown an increase in MMR.
Some of the remarkable Government intervention to improve MMR:
Below are some of of the initiative/scheme launched for Pregnant women:-
- Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) launched in 2016 for pregnant women.
- Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) from 2017- a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme under which cash benefits are provided to pregnant women.
- Labour Room Quality Improvement Initiative (LaQshya) in 2017 , Surakshit Matratva Ashwasan (SUMAN) from 2019 and Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) are launched in the motive of preventing Maternal Mortality Rate.
- Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), free and cashless services including normal deliveries and caesarean operations and sick new born(up to 30 days after birth).
- Anemia Mukt Bharat (AMB) introduced in 2018 to reduce anemia prevalence.
