Assam’s infant, child mortality rates exceed national average, Lok Sabha informed

Guwahati: The Ministry of Women and Child Development on Friday informed the Lok Sabha that Assam continues to record higher rates of infant and child mortality compared to the national average.

The information was provided in response to a question raised by Nagaon MP Pradyut Bordoloi regarding malnutrition, child deaths, and the performance of POSHAN Abhiyaan since 2020. The reply also included state-wise data from the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2023.

In reaction to the figures, Nagaon Lok Sabha member Pradyut Bordoloi posted on X.

The data annexed to the minister’s reply shows that India’s Neo-Natal Mortality Rate (NMR) stands at 19 deaths per 1,000 live births, while Assam records 21, significantly above the national figure. Neo-natal deaths refer to infants who die within the first 28 days of life. States such as Kerala (4), Delhi (9), and Tamil Nadu (9) are among the best performers, while Madhya Pradesh (27) and Uttar Pradesh (26) record the highest rates.

Similarly, the country’s Under-Five Mortality Rate (U5MR) is 29, whereas Assam reports 33 per 1,000 live births. This places Assam in the higher-burden category alongside states like Rajasthan (34), Odisha (35), and Chhattisgarh (41). Kerala again registers the lowest U5MR at just 8, reflecting stronger healthcare and nutrition systems.

Health experts in Assam say these numbers reflect persistent structural gaps. A paediatric specialist based in Guwahati said, “These deaths are mostly preventable. Poor maternal nutrition, anaemia, delayed medical care, and inadequate newborn facilities continue to pull Assam down.”

In her reply, Minister of State Savitri Thakur said that real-time Poshan Tracker data on stunting, wasting, and underweight children is publicly available, and the Centre has undertaken several measures under POSHAN Abhiyaan. These include growth monitoring devices, capacity-building for Anganwadi workers, and improved tracking of at-risk children.

However, the minister acknowledged that unique challenges, geographical barriers, difficult terrain, and gaps in health infrastructure continue to affect the state’s progress. Officials said the government is studying successful practices from low-burden North-Eastern states to replicate them in Assam.

Public health observers argue that the SRS data should serve as a wake-up call.

They say that unless the state’s frontline health services, PHCs, and nutrition monitoring systems are strengthened quickly, the mortality gap between Assam and the national average may widen further.