Infant mortality rate high in Kandhamal

Kandhamal district, in south Orissa which hogged national headlines for the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and violence a few years ago, has touched another low point. This time the district has found itself in the bottom of the list of under-five mortality rate (U5MR) in the country.

As many as 145 children per 1,000 live births die in Kandhamal district, says annual health survey conducted in under-developed States in the country. The survey was done in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Assam. Collectively these States constitute 48 per cent of country's population, 59 per cent of births and 70 per cent of infant deaths.

The U5MR for Uttarakhand is in the 50s while for Uttar Pradesh, it is in the 90s. The U5MR ranges between 24 (Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand) and 145 (Kandhamal, Orissa) - a variability of seven times. Orissa with average U5MR at 82 figures among bottom States. Gap between male and female mortality differential is significant. Among female, the U5MR in Kandhamal is 153 compared to 138 in male.

Source: The Hindu