'India's infant mortality rate worst in South Asia'

In a shocking revelation, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Tuesday informed the Rajya Sabha that India’s infant mortality rate of 47 per thousand live births was worse than those of Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. 

“In India, the infant mortality rate (IMR) is 47 per thousand live births which translates into 12.5 lakh infant deaths per year,” the minister  said during the Question Hour.

The IMR in West Bengal is 32 per thousand live births, which amounts to 47,000 infant deaths per year.

“Unfortunately, IMR and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in India is very bad. As bad that it cannot be compared with our neighbouring countries of Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Pakistan is the only country that India can be compared with,” Azad said.

Replying to another question, Azad said that a new scheme to provide free medicine through public health facilities had been proposed under the NRHM.