(a) whether the country is far behind in achievement of Millenium Development Goals (MDG) on child mortality;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to achieve these goals?
(a) whether the country is far behind in achievement of Millenium Development Goals (MDG) on child mortality;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to achieve these goals?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD
(a) & (b): MDG - 4 mandates reduction of Under-5 mortality by two third between 1990 and 2015. As per
Millennium Development Goals- India Country Report 2009 brought out by the Ministry of Statistics &
Programme Implementation, Govt. of India, the Under-5 Mortality Rate of India should reduce to about
42 per 1000 live births by 2015 to achieve the target.The Under-5 mortality rate is 69 per 1000 live
births as per the latest estimate for 2008 released by the office of Registrar General of India.
(C): Government of India (GOI) has launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in the year 2005,
with special emphasis on improving the health status of rural population throughout the country. Under
the NRHM (2005-2012) and the Reproductive Child Health Programme, the GOI is strengthening services so
as to bring reduction in child mortality. The steps taken in this regard include training of service
providers in integrated management of neo-natal & childhood illness, training of ASHAs in Home based
new born care, setting up of sick new born care units at district hospitals, promoting exclusive
breastfeeding and complementary feeding, strengthening routine immunisation programme, focussing
on reduction in morbidity and mortality due to Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) and Diarrhoeal
Diseases.