From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: High rates of infant mortality and maternal mortality have remained a concerned for Assam given that the state government is faced with a tough task bringing down infant mortality rate (IMR) and maternal mortality rate (MMR).
Concerned over the high rate of IMR and MMR in the state, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has constituted committed headed by himself to identify areas of high incidence of IMR and MMR in the state. He asserted that some pro-active measures would be taken by the state government to bring these rates on par with the national average by 2016.
As per the All India National Family Welfare Survey released last year, Assam’s IMR is 58 per 1000 live births and MMR is 390 per one lakh live deliveries, which are among the highest in the country. In fact, the MMR rate in Assam is worst in the country far below 302 in case of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.
Gogoi said that in order to improve the situation, the state government was aiming to achieve cent per cent institutional delivery, provide adequate medical attention to the new born. He said sick newborn care units and newborn stabilization units would be set up in hospitals in the state.
The goal had been to reduce the MMR in Assam to 200 per one lakh live deliveries by the time the 12 th Five Year Plan begins (i.e. this year). However, health officials opine that it must be brought down to the level of 100. Similarly, the target for Assam should be to reduce the IMR from 58 per live births to 30.