Manipur achieves India's lowest infant mortality rate as nation records dramatic health gains

Manipur has emerged as India's healthcare champion, recording the country's lowest infant mortality rate of just 3 deaths per 1,000 live births, according to the latest Sample Registration System report released by the Registrar General of India.

The northeastern state's remarkable achievement comes as India celebrates a historic milestone in public health, with the national infant mortality rate dropping to a record low of 25 in 2023 – a 37.5 per cent decline from 40 recorded in 2013.

Manipur's exceptional performance puts it ahead of traditionally healthcare-leading states, with Kerala coming second at 5 deaths per 1,000 live births, making it the only large state to achieve single-digit infant mortality rates.

The infant mortality rate serves as a critical indicator of healthcare accessibility and quality, measuring deaths of children under one year per 1,000 live births. Lower numbers reflect better healthcare systems and living conditions.

India's progress becomes even more striking when viewed over five decades. The SRS 2023 report reveals an 80 per cent decline in infant mortality from 129 deaths per 1,000 births in 1971 to the current 25, marking one of the most significant public health transformations in the developing world.

However, challenges remain concentrated in certain regions. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Uttar Pradesh continue to struggle with the highest infant mortality rates at 37 deaths per 1,000 births, highlighting persistent healthcare disparities across states.

The rural-urban divide shows encouraging signs of narrowing. Rural areas witnessed infant mortality rates drop from 44 to 28, while urban areas improved from 27 to 18 over the past decade, representing decadal declines of 36 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively.

Beyond infant mortality, India's demographic landscape is undergoing fundamental changes. "The Birth Rate at all India level has declined drastically over the last five decades from 36.9 in 1971 to 18.4 in 2023," the report states, indicating a maturing population structure.

Birth rates have fallen 14 per cent in the last decade alone, from 21.4 in 2013 to 18.4 in 2023. Rural areas reported births declining from 22.9 to 20.3, while urban areas saw a drop from 17.3 to 14.9 births per thousand population.

Bihar leads with the highest birth rate at 25.8, while Andaman and Nicobar Islands recorded the lowest at 10.1 in 2023, reflecting regional variations in fertility patterns.

Death rates have similarly improved across the country, declining from 14.9 per thousand in 1971 to 6.4 in 2023. Rural death rates decreased from 7.2 in 2022 to 6.8 in 2023, while urban areas improved from 6.0 to 5.7 during the same period.

Chandigarh achieved the lowest death rate at 4 per thousand, while Chhattisgarh recorded the highest at 8.3, the report noted.

The report emphasises that "Mortality is one of the basic components of population change and the related data is essential for demographic studies and public health administration." (With inputs from PTI)