Infant Mortality Rate

In a significant development, the Infant Mortality Rate in Jammu and Kashmir has been reduced to 20 per 1000 live births against the national average of 30 per 1000 live births.The infant mortality rate is the number of babies less than a year old who die for every thousand live births.As per the data available, Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory stand second-best in Infant Mortality Rate, among the States and Jammu and Union Territory of India, the data of which has been released. The data was shared by Health and Medical Education Department, Jammu and Kashmir on their Twitter handle.The data further read that in 2009, the Infant mortality rate in Jammu and Kashmir was 45 per 1000 live births, while the national average was 50 per 1000 live birth. The numbers reduced to 34 per 1000 live births in 2014 in Jammu and Kashmir, with the national average of 39 per 1000 live births.Five years later, Jammu and Kashmir have improved as the number has been reduced to 20 per 1000 live births against the national average of 30 per 1000 live births.Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in Jammu and Kashmir reduced to 20/1000 Live Births, as against 30/1000 national average. There's a dip of IMR by 14 in 5 years and 25 in last 10 years, which is a remarkable achievement owing to collective efforts made by J&K Health & Medical Education department with major push up by National Health Mission through manpower augmentation, massive infrastructure and support system developed especially through ASHAs at primary, secondary and tertiary levels.The timely management and referrals of sick infants to higher centres like SNCUs and NICUs saved hundreds of lives with provision of free services under JSSK and JSY. The efforts to have 100% Institutional deliveries, immediate neonatal care, free Immunization against VPDs definitely helped in a considerable reduction of infant deaths in Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir over the year had shown a great result when it comes to decline in the Infant Mortality Rate of the region. However, efforts are on to make sure that numbers are reduced to single digits as we are hopeful that we will be able to achieve the target in coming years.