CHILD HEALTH CARE AND INFANT MORTALITY RATE IN INDIA:AN ANALYSIS OF ITS TRENDS AND CAUSES

Health plays a vital role in acquisition and management of “life-cycle wealth” by way of building “human capabilities” in developing economies like India. As children are important potential assets of a nation, providing good health and reduce infant and child mortality is felt increasing important. In India, several efforts have been made to address the above issue. An effort has been made to examine the trends in IMRs across rural-urban areas, male-female and social groups and indentify the factors that affect IMRs.
India witnessed a persistent decline in IMR from 129 in 1971 to 50 in 2009. The IMR was higher in rural than in urban areas. The decline in IMR in rural areas is found to be much faster than in urban areas. Across social groups, the IMRs were higher among scheduled castes (SCs)/scheduled tribes (STs)-historically exploited sections of the society- compared to other backward castes (OBCs) and Others. The net state domestic product, the female work participation rate (WPR), poverty, the rate of female literacy and the health infrastructures are found to important factors that affect IMR. In a bid to reduce IMR further, improving female's education and their access to employment and reduction in poverty should be accorded top priority in the development paradigm of India.