‘Goa is the best place to be born in.’ That sounds a lot better than ‘Goa is the fun capital of the country.’ Having achieved the top position with the lowest infant mortality rate (IMR), the state has something to celebrate about.
It is a milestone crossed 50 years after liberation and an achievement that needs to be lauded by one and all. And credit for it must go to the governments, doctors both in the private and public sector and the media for exposing shoddy medical treatment over the years.
According to data revealed by the Union Health Ministry, Goa has recorded 10 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, which is the lowest in the country. This is followed by Kerala with an IMR of 13 and Manipur with 14. Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest IMR at 62, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Odisha with 61. Although MP is at the bottom of the list it recorded the highest dip along with Himachal Pradesh, of five points between 2009 and 2010 an indication that MP is out of the trough. For the country as a whole, IMR has dropped by three points from 50 to 47. It is rural areas that the dip is the largest at four points which means that health care facilities are improving there.
What is changing the health equation for India? Dr Ajay Khera, deputy commissioner child health and immunization said the reason was that states had started paying more attention to neonatal health. Another factor has been the setting up of 340 sick and newborn child units and 9,800 newborn care corners. A third reason could be the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) which was launched in 2005 to improve the availability of affordable health care in rural areas. As a result, between 2005 and 2009, IMR in rural areas fell 9 points, 3 points more than the decline in towns and cities.
Intervention by the government apart, there is every reason to believe that India’s growth story has contributed to an overall improvement. In the last 5 to 10 years incomes have grown tremendously. This coupled with migration to urban areas has increased access to both public and private healthcare systems.
Goa has every reason to celebrate, but the IMR levels are still high in other states and this is cause for concern. India is struggling with this crucial healthcare issue and despite posting high economic growth that has drawn the attention of the rest of the world, the death of 5,000 under the age of five every day is shameful. A UNICEF report last year said that nearly half the children in the country are under nourished and in December last, Nobel prize winner, Mr Amartya Sen pointed that New Delhi should pay greater attention to under-nourishment rather than chase high growth.
The perfect recipe, if it exists, would be a combination of high economic growth and greater spending in healthcare. If Goa is at the top of the list it has lots to do with the fact that the state has the highest per capita income, a robust private-public healthcare system and a state sponsored insurance scheme aimed at increasing access to quality healthcare. However, even in Goa, there exist areas in the interiors, especially in Quepem and Sanguem talukas where doctors or healthcare centres are not easily accessible. The state should not rest on its laurels but strive to reach out to residents in far flung places.
