Question : Maternal and Infant Mortality Rates

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the maternal and infant mortality rates within the country, State/UT-wise including Tamil Nadu during the last three years and the current year;

(b) whether the Government has aimed for zero preventable maternal and newborn deaths within the country;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government is planning to launch a new scheme to meet this aim within the country;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the funds likely to be sanctioned for this, State/UT-wise including Tamil Nadu along with the number of facilities and services likely to be provided under this scheme?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a): Registrar General of India provides estimates on fertility and mortality using the Sample Registration System (SRS), which does not generate maternal mortality data on yearly basis. Maternal deaths being a rare event, require prohibitively large sample size to provide robust estimates. In order to enhance the SRS sample size, the results are derived by pooling the three years data to yield reliable estimates of maternal mortality.

The details of the maternal mortality ratio and infant mortality rates within the country, State/UT- wise including Tamil Nadu during the last three years and the current year is placed at annexure A.

(b) to (e): In order to end all preventable maternal and newborn deaths, morbidities and to provide a positive birthing experience, MoHFW has launched the SUMAN initiative on 10th October 2019. The initiative aims to provide Assured, dignified, respectful and quality healthcare, at no cost and zero tolerance for denial of services, for every woman and newborn visiting the public health facility.


The main objectives of SUMAN are;
• Provide high quality medical and emergency services and referrals.
Create a responsive health care system.
• Use institutional and other community-based platforms like
NGOs, SHGs, PRIs, and elected representatives to spread awareness, mobilize the community and facilitate 100% reporting and review of Maternal Deaths.
• Develop and establish a system of continuous client feedback
and redressal of grievances for maternity services.
• Create awareness; build capacities and motivation of service providers.
• Provide an interdepartmental platform for convergent action plans.
• Create steering committees for effective governance including
formulating strategies, supervision and review of the program for
corrective actions.

(f): “Public Health and Hospital” being a State Subject, the primary responsibility of provision of healthcare to all lies with respective State Government. However, under National Health Mission (NHM), every year proposals are received from all States/ UTs in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs). The PIPs are approved in the National Program Coordination Committee (NPCC) meetings and Record of Proceedings (RoPs) is drawn. The funds for SUMAN initiative, State/UT- wise including Tamil Nadu along with the number of facilities to be covered would be based on the requirements posed by States/UTs within their overall resource envelope.