The State witnessed the higher number of infant deaths in the last three years with 2018-2019 alone accounting for the death of 16,539 new born babies due to infection, pneumonia, low birth weight and breathing defects.
Public Health Minister Eknath Shinde, said in a written reply in Assembly, according to Health Management Information System (HMIS) report, the number of new born babies who died in 2016-17 was 10,348, and in 2017-18 it was 13,069.
The State has set a target to reduce infant mortality rate at 10 per 1,000 live births by 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). The IMR in Maharashtra was 22 in 2014, and has come down to 19, he said.
The minister said the deaths have not taken place due to lack of facilities such as incubators, ventilators, expert medical attention or facilities. “These deaths have taken place due to infection, pneumonia, less weight and breathing defect at birth. As per the HMIS report, in the period of April to August, 2017, Solapur district alone saw 309 infant deaths,” it said.
The state has 1,828 primary health care centres, 10,668 sub-centres, 462 Ayurvedic dispensaries, and 108 mobile health squads which provide primary health care, he said.
