Only Health Department Not Responsible For High IMR In Madhya Pradesh, Says Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Only the health department is not responsible for the state being on top in terms of child mortality rate. Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla informed the House about it on Wednesday on the basis of a CAG report.

Shukla said the CAG report had shown poor index about IMR and MMR. But only the health services are not responsible for this situation, Shukla said.

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The poor financial condition of families and various social factors are major reasons behind the high Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in the state, he said. Issues like poverty, lack of proper education, early child marriages, malnutrition among women and children, and deep-rooted social inequality continue to affect health outcomes in many districts.

These problems are closely linked and have a serious impact on the survival of mothers and infants.

In addition to these, there are other important reasons that contribute to the problem. Many families still do not have access to clean and safe drinking water. The unavailability of pure potable water and poor hygiene practices lead to the spread of diseases, which often become fatal for infants.

A lack of cleanliness in and around households also creates an unsafe environment for both pregnant women and newborns.

As per official data, the IMR in the state currently stands at 40 per 1,000 live births, and the MMR is 159 per 1,00,000 live births. This maternal death rate is 71 points higher than the national average, which highlights the urgent need for better healthcare, awareness, and basic facilities in rural and backward areas of the state.