For instance, the target for under five mortality rate (U5MR) for MDG 4 is less than 38 per 1000 live births but we are still at 59 per 1000 live births as per latest data available from the Sample Registration System (SRS 2010) of the Registrar General of India. In fact, the UNICEF Progress Report 2012 titled `Committing to Child Survival – A Promise Renewed’ has damning statistics that India contributes to 24 per cent of total global child deaths and ranks 49th in descending order of U5MR in the world.
The good news is that these parameters are improving. The bad news is that the rate of improvement is too slow. For instance, U5MR has shown a 5 point decline from 2008 to 2009 and 2009 to 2010. If this rate of decline is sustained, India is on track to achieve MDG 4 goal.
Similarly, while the MDG target is to immunise more than 80 per cent of one year old children against measles by 2015, the latest District Level Household Survey (DLHS-3) showed that the coverage for the first dose of measles vaccine in the country was 69.5 per cent which further improved to 74.1 per cent in 2009 as per the Coverage Evaluation Survey, 2009.
As per MDG 5, Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has to be reduced by three quarters between the 1990 and 2015. With the target for MMR set at less than 109 per one lakh live births, India lagged at 212 as per the SRS 2007-09. More recent data, like the Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group report 2010 (MMEIG), does show an average annual decline of 5.2 per cent between 1990 and 2010.
Playing catch up is tough but better late than never. The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has set in motion many schemes under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) focused on maintaining the decline in these parameters and improving neonatal, child and maternal health. For instance, a catch-up measles immunisation campaign has been initiated in 14 states to provide a second opportunity to improve coverage.
But the problem is too monumental and we cannot rely on government push alone. Therefore it is heartening to hear of NGOs and private sector entities collaborating with the Government and working towards these same goals.
For instance, NGOs like the Rotary Club of Mumbai and Pragati Pratishthan with industry groups like the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) collaborated with the state government to organise patient screening programmes as well as conduct training programmes for general nursing midwifery (GNM) and auxillary nurse midwife (ANM) who will work in primary healthcare centres within designated rural areas. Anaemia was detected as the biggest cause of maternal deaths among women living this area so medicines will be provided as needed once detected. OPPI member companies have supported this objective by donating medicines and providing volunteer support.
Let’s hope that the new year sees many more such initiatives and we move faster towards achieving the MDGs.
Viveka Roychowdhury
Editor