What is Child Mortality Rate?

Child Mortality Rate in India 2023

Child mortality rate is defined as the number of deaths of children under five years of age per 1,000 live births in a given population for a given year. The reduction of child mortality is reflected in several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. India has one of the highest infant mortality rates globally compared to other countries. There is a significant gap between the rural and urban population. It is an important demographic and health indicator that assesses the healthcare facilities and well-being of a population. A high mortality rate is an indicator of poor health infrastructure, lack of nutrition, and poor sanitation while a low mortality rate signifies better health outcomes. Child mortality rate includes:

Neonatal Mortality Rate: This is defined as the death before 28 days from birth.
Infant Mortality Rate: This is defined as the death of an infant before his or her first birthday.

Child Mortality Rate in India

Child Mortality Rate in India has shown improvement over the years and has reduced to 41.9(NFHS-5) deaths per thousand live births from 49.7 (NFHS-4). Child mortality rate or under-five mortality rate is defined as the mortality of children under the age of five per 1,000 live births. It is an important indicator of the health and development of a country.

Various causes of child mortality rate include diseases, malnutrition, and poor healthcare infrastructure. Government initiatives like Poshan Abhiyan, Improving sanitation, access to clean drinking water, and immunization against infectious diseases, can help reduce high rates of infant mortality can provide a better and healthier future for the child.