From 70 To 18: How J&K Cut Infant Deaths In Three Decades

Over the past thirty years, Jammu and Kashmir has slashed its infant mortality rate by more than 70%, reaching one of its lowest recorded levels in 2023-24.

This is a major public health achievement.

But behind these numbers lie persistent regional gaps and new neonatal challenges that demand attention.

Infant mortality, the number of children who die before their first birthday, is one of the clearest measures of a region's health and social development.

The story of J&K's IMR over the last three decades is a story of progress shaped by health reforms, better services, and social change, but also of ongoing challenges that cannot be ignored.

In 1990-91, J&K's IMR hovered around 70 deaths per 1,000 live births, among the highest in India at the time. Through the early 1990s, the rate stayed stubbornly high, fluctuating between 60 and 70.

Limited health infrastructure, low rates of institutional deliveries, weak immunisation coverage, and difficult terrain, especially in rural and hilly districts, kept infant deaths alarmingly common.

The first signs of improvement came around 1998-99, when IMR dropped from the mid-60s to the high-50s, thanks to early expansions in primary healthcare and immunisation.

Progress, however, was weak.

The early 2000s saw sharp swings: IMR fell to about 45 in 1999-2000, rose the next year, then fell again to around 40 by 2001-02.

These fluctuations reflected uneven service delivery and the vulnerability of early health gains.

A more steady phase of improvement began after 2005-06 with the launch of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

Between 2005 and 2010, IMR stabilised in the low 40s to early 50s. This period laid the groundwork for future declines through the expansion of sub-centres and primary health centres, introduction of ASHA workers, promotion of institutional deliveries, better awareness of antenatal and postnatal care, and strengthened immunisation drives.

The most dramatic progress came between 2011 and 2019.

IMR dropped steadily from 44 in 2011 to 39 in 2013, 35 in 2014, 28 in 2015, 25 by 2016-17, and around 20 by 2018-19.

These gains were driven by improvements in health infrastructure: more institutional deliveries, better-equipped newborn care units, enhanced maternal nutrition and antenatal care, and stronger ambulance and referral systems.

Rising female literacy and growing health awareness also reinforced this trend.

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