In a positive sign for public health in Uttar Pradesh, the state has reported a decline in both neonatal and infant deaths, according to the Centre’s latest Sample Registration System (SRS) report for 2021.
Uttar Pradesh’s neonatal mortality rate (NMR) — the number of deaths within 28 days of birth per 1,000 live births — dropped to 26 in 2021 from 28 in 2020. In comparison, India’s national NMR stood at 19, marking a one-point improvement from the previous year. Among major states, Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest NMR at 30, followed by Chhattisgarh (28) and Uttar Pradesh (26). At the other end of the spectrum, Kerala continued to lead with the lowest NMR of just 4.
Eight states reported a decline in NMR, while seven saw no change. However, NMR increased in Assam (by 4 points), Chhattisgarh (2 points), and Haryana and Punjab (1 point each).
Dr Neha Rai, Associate Professor of Paediatrics at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow, said that the decline in UP’s NMR is “significant”, despite it being a modest two-point dip. She attributed the slower progress to persistent gaps in health awareness and service usage in rural areas. “If Kerala’s NMR can be four, then why can’t Uttar Pradesh’s also be?” she remarked, stressing the need for better access and behavioural change.
The infant mortality rate (IMR) — deaths of children under one year per 1,000 live births — in Uttar Pradesh also saw a slight dip, from 38 in 2020 to 37 in 2021. Bihar’s IMR remained steady at 27. Nationally, the IMR declined from 28 to 27.
Among the 19 major states, five — Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, and Karnataka — registered a two-point decline in IMR, while nine, including UP, saw a one-point decrease. Meanwhile, states like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Punjab, and Kerala recorded no change.
The under-five mortality rate (U5MR) — the probability of a child dying before age five per 1,000 live births — remained unchanged at 43 in UP. Nationally, U5MR declined slightly from 32 to 31. Madhya Pradesh had the highest U5MR at 49, while Kerala again ranked best at 8.
Among the 19 larger states, four states (Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu) showed a one-point increase in U5MR. Seven states, including UP, saw no change, while Assam and Andhra Pradesh recorded the sharpest three-point decline, followed by Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Maharashtra with two-point improvements.
The SRS, conducted by the Office of the Registrar General of India, is a key demographic survey that provides reliable annual estimates of birth rate, death rate, and other key fertility and mortality indicators across all states and union territories.
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Source: Hindustan Times
