India lauded by UN as 'exemplar' in child mortality reduction

United Nations: India has made remarkable progress in reducing preventable child deaths, earning praise from the United Nations as an "exemplar" in this area. The UN specifically highlighted India's health initiatives, such as Ayushman Bharat, and said the country has saved millions of young lives through strategic investments in its health system.

The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation report has recognised five countries – India, Nepal, Senegal, Ghana, and Burundi – as exemplary models in reducing child mortality rates. These nations have showcased diverse strategies that have successfully accelerated progress in preventing child deaths.

The report said these countries illustrate that with "political will, evidence-based strategies and sustained investments, even resource-constrained settings facing unique challenges can achieve substantial reductions in mortality, bringing the world closer to an end to preventable child deaths".

"Through strategic investments in its health system, India has already saved millions of young lives and paved the way to ensure healthy lives for millions more,” it said.

India has reduced child mortality rates by 70% and neonatal mortality by 61% since 2000. This success is attributed to increased health coverage, enhanced interventions, and improved infrastructure. Notable initiatives include Ayushman Bharat, the world's largest health insurance scheme, which provides free delivery, infant care services, and transportation to pregnant women and newborns. Additionally, India has established maternity waiting homes and newborn stabilisation units and implemented interventions like antenatal corticosteroids and continuous positive airway pressure. These efforts have saved millions of young lives and serve as a model for other countries.

“This ensures millions of healthy pregnancies and thriving live births each year. India has also prioritised the training and deployment of skilled birth attendants, such as midwives and community health workers, to provide appropriate maternal and child health services,” it said.

The five countries, despite their diverse geographies, economic conditions, and health system structures, have "outpaced" the global and regional declines in child mortality through strong governance, strategic investments in health, and evidence-based interventions. Key factors contributing to their success include strengthened health systems prioritising universal access and community-based care, data-driven decision-making, expanded immunisation and maternal health programmes, and innovative health financing models. These countries' achievements demonstrate that with strategic investments and evidence-based interventions, significant reductions in child mortality can be achieved, with several low- and lower-middle-income countries surpassing the global decline in under-five mortality since 2000.

Angola, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, India, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia have reduced under-five mortality rates by over two-thirds since 2000. India made significant strides, increasing infant measles vaccinations from 56% to 93% and decreasing measles-related deaths by 97%. Globally, child deaths before age five dropped from 12.6 million in 1990 to 4.8 million in 2023, with stillbirths decreasing by over a third.

"Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.

"Bringing preventable child deaths to a record low is a remarkable achievement. But without the right policy choices and adequate investment, we risk reversing these hard-earned gains, with millions more children dying from preventable causes. We cannot allow that to happen," Russell added.

(inputs from PTI)