J&K claims IMR rate has fallen in the state

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, July 19: While basic health parameters in Jammu and Kashmir is still poor when compared to other parts of the country, government is claiming that death rate of newborn in state is on decrease due to the better child healthcare system.

As per the officials, in the year 2010 the figure of infant death was 48 per 1000 children whereas it was fallen to 41 per 1000 children in 2011. At national level, Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is 28.

Talking to TNI Sample Registration System (SRS), Jammu and Kashmir Investigator Hari Singh said, These figures show that death rate is on decrease from past years owing the improvement in the health care system of the state. The figure of IMR for the year 2012 is yet to come” he said.

Official said that a high level monitoring committee on IMR granted Rs 15.36 crore to reduce the death rate of infant across the state.

As per the data, state has 20, 27,907 of total child population of 20, 08, 642 from the age group of 0-6 years, for the census of 2011 which include 1,230,133 from all districts Srinagar comprised of Leh and 797774 from all districts Jammu region.

Official added that different strategies adopted for child health to reduce IMR in the state.

Sources said that eight Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) have been established till date while seven new are to be open during in which the government approved a SNCU for Government Hospital Sarwal which was later transfer to District Hospital Ramban.

The government has established 8 SNCU’s included Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar, District Hospital Udhampur, Kathua, Anantnag Leh, Kargil, Baramulla and Poonch.

While studying the IMR level of 2010 with the previous year, it comes to fore that at the country level, it fell 3 points, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab recorded a fall of IMR by 5 and 4 points respectively between 2009-10 while the Jammu and Kashmir recorded a decrease of only 2 points during the reference period.

Surprisingly J&K has so far not conducted Material Mortality Ratio survey, an important indicator of the pregnant women. Though the government has said that a survey is being conducted by Directorate of Economics and Statistics, but so far it has not been submitted to the government.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in J&K has come down from 2.3 in 2006 to 2.2 in 2009, a decline of 0.1 per cent in two years, but it is still much higher than the targets set by government which is 2.1 per cent.

In its response, health department has said that it is introducing Maternal Death Audit and Infant Death Audit to help the planners to chalk out the future strategies for reducing the level of MMR and IMR of the state.