Bengaluru: Karnataka has emerged one of the country’s better-performing states in improving child health outcomes, particularly in reducing infant mortality, Economic Survey 2025-26 shows.The survey report, tabled Thursday in Parliament, pointed out that the state had succeeded in reducing by more than half its Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) over the past decade (2013-2023), signalling major gains in maternal and neonatal healthcare.According to data cited in the survey from the state’s health department, based on Sample Registration System reports, in 2013, Karnataka’s IMR was 31, while in 2023, it was 14, indicating an approximately 55% reduction. IMR is typically the number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1,000 live births in a year and in a region.For Karnataka, which plays a pivotal role in India’s technology, manufacturing and services economy, improved child survival rates strengthen long-term human capital formation. State health officials have attributed this improvement to both institutional and community strengthening over the last decade.Nationally, India’s IMR declined by 37.5% between 2013 and 2023, falling from 40 to 25 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.Karnataka’s progress places it alongside Himachal Pradesh among states that recorded sharp reductions, while southern and north-eastern states such as Kerala, Goa, Sikkim and Manipur already achieved single-digit IMRs, which are comparable with developed countries.The survey attributes these improvements to a combination of expanded institutional deliveries, better neonatal care, improved immunisation coverage, and strengthened primary healthcare systems.Karnataka’s health indicators reflect sustained investments under national programmes such as the National Health Mission, alongside state-level efforts to improve access to skilled birth attendance (childbirth assisted by a trained health professional) and post-natal care.“Following national guidelines, we changed what was earlier Home Based Newborn Care (HNBC), under which ASHA workers visited communities to educate families about newborn care up to 20 days. This changed into Home Based Young Child Care (HBYC), under which, the care period was increased to 1.5 years,” said Dr Basavaraj B Dhabadi, deputy director (child health), to illustrate community strengthening.“On the institutional side, we introduced multi-level care. Under this, we have special newborn care units in medical college hospitals. At the taluka level, we have newborn stabilisation units, where babies with complications are stabilised with pre-referral treatment before they are referred to other centres,” he further explained.“At the delivery point, in labour rooms, we have newborn care corners,” he added.BOX Infant mortality rate (IMR) in K’taka between 2013 and 2023: Year IMR202314202215202117202019201823201725201624201528201429201331 Source: Sample Registration SurveyMSID:: 127778901 413 |
