Gurgaon: Haryana has achieved a significant milestone in child health, with its infant mortality rate (IMR) dropping by nearly 14% over the past five years. According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) Report 2024, the state's IMR declined from 28 to 24 deaths per 1,000 live births between 2019 and 2024, bringing it on par with the national average.
With approximately 5.5 lakh live births recorded annually in the state, an IMR of 24 translates to roughly 13,000 infant deaths each year. During the same period, Punjab's IMR declined from 18 to 16, an improvement of about 11%, indicating a slightly faster pace of reduction in Haryana. Health officials noted that the number has been steadily declining over time as maternal and child health indicators improve.
Long-Term Progress
The longer-term trend points to significant gains in child survival. Haryana's IMR has fallen from 41 deaths per 1,000 live births a decade ago to the current level, reflecting a reduction of more than 40% over the period. Health and family welfare department additional chief secretary Dr Sumita Misra said, “Haryana made sustained progress through targeted interventions in maternal and newborn healthcare and continued investments in healthcare infrastructure.”
Challenges and Comparisons
Officials acknowledged that infant mortality remains a challenge in some rural areas and parts of eastern Haryana, where health outcomes continue to lag behind urban areas. However, they said the overall trajectory remains encouraging, with sustained improvements recorded across key maternal and child health indicators over the past decade. The state's performance also compares favourably with several larger states where infant mortality remains considerably higher. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh continue to report IMRs of around 35 deaths per 1,000 live births, while Chhattisgarh records approximately 36.
Under-5 Mortality
Child mortality indicators beyond infancy have also shown improvement. The under-5 mortality rate (U5MR) has declined from 45 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2013 to 31 currently. Health officials said the indicator is naturally higher than IMR as it includes deaths occurring up to the age of 5 years.
Drivers of Decline
According to the health department, the decline has been driven by expanded neonatal and child healthcare services, including special newborn care units (SNCUs), newborn stabilisation units (NBSUs), newborn baby care corners (NBCCs), nutrition rehabilitation centres (NRCs), kangaroo mother care (KMC) facilities, hybrid HDU-ICU units, comprehensive lactation management centres (CLMCs), lactation management units (LMUs), Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram and home-based newborn care services. Dr Misra said, “Improvements in institutional deliveries, antenatal care and newborn healthcare contributed to the steady decline in neonatal and infant deaths.” She added that the state was continuing to strengthen antenatal services, promote safe deliveries and upgrade neonatal intensive care facilities.
Future Plans
To further improve outcomes, Haryana plans to establish additional SNCUs, NBSUs, NRCs and lactation management units. Existing SNCUs are also being upgraded into maternal and newborn care units (MNCUs) to provide integrated care for mothers and newborns under one roof.
