A cradle of care: How Kerala fights infant mortality

Discover how Kerala's innovative health initiatives and community efforts achieved the lowest infant mortality rate in India.

Discussions on the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of Kerala have surged after an exchange between Rajeev Chandrasekhar, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kerala, and Rajya Sabha MP of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] John Brittas, went viral.

Kerala’s IMR hit an all-time low of 5 (per 1,000 births) according to the 2023 Sample Registration Survey (SRS) report, released last year, as against the national average of 25 (per 1,000 births). Kerala is the only State in India with a single-digit IMR, even lower than the USA (5.6).

Ten years ago, the Kerala Health Department aimed to bring down the IMR to a single digit from 12, Veena George, State Health Minister told The Hindu.

A project organised by the Health Department of Kerala and the State branch of the Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) achieved the desired result when the SRS report came out in 2018, as the State achieved the single-digit IMR of 7 for the first time. Kerala has been steadily reducing the rate over these years.

A combined effort, without compromising its importance at any point, is the main reason for this achievement, said Ms. George, adding that the Health Department has planned and implemented many schemes such as ‘Hridayam’, ‘KARE’, and ‘Shalabham’ to bring down the IMR.

The ‘Hridayam’ scheme provides treatment for heart-related diseases to children from birth till 18 years of age. Through this scheme, heart disease screening is conducted for all babies born in the government hospitals. The screenings are also conducted in homes, Anganwadis, and schools to ensure extensive care to children.