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India has achieved significant U5MR (79%) and NMR (70%) reductions through Mission Indradhanush and SNCUs. To meet 2030 SDGs, India must bridge rural-urban gaps, tackle malnutrition, and raise health spending to 2.5% of GDP for equitable, data-driven outcomes.
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Picture Courtesy: DDNEWS
The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) released a report titled "Levels and Trends in Child Mortality 2025".
Origin: It is an inter-agency group formed in 2004 to share data on child mortality.
Members: Led by UNICEF, it includes the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank Group, and the United Nations Population Division.
Objective: To track progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.2, which aims to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 by 2030.
Core Findings: In 2024, an estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday. This includes 2.3 million newborns (deaths in the first 28 days).
The Slowdown: While under-five mortality has fallen by 51% since 2000, the pace of reduction has slowed by over 60% since 2015.
Unequal Burden: Geography determines destiny. Sub-Saharan Africa (58%) and Southern Asia (25%) combined accounted for over 80% of all under-five deaths in 2024 (Source: UN IGME 2025).
New Metric: For the first time, the report explicitly quantified deaths caused directly by Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), attributing over 100,000 deaths to it annually, acknowledging that the actual indirect toll is far higher.
India’s Performance
|
Indicator |
1990 Status |
2024 Status |
% Decline |
|
Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) |
127 |
27 |
79% |
|
Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) |
57 |
17 |
70% |
|
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) |
88 |
23.3 |
73% |
India’s decline is faster than the global average and the South Asian average.
Drivers of India's Success
Institutional Deliveries: The shift from home births to hospital births, driven by Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK), has been the biggest game-changer.
Newborn Care Infrastructure: Establishment of Special Newborn Care Units (SNCUs) at the district level has reduced deaths from asphyxia and sepsis.
Vaccination Coverage: Mission Indradhanush has expanded full immunization coverage to over 76% (NFHS-5), protecting children from killer diseases like measles and pneumonia.
Home-Based Care: The HBNC (Home Based Newborn Care) scheme, where ASHAs visit newborns at home, has been critical for early detection of illness in rural areas.
Challenges For India
India faces structural hurdles to meeting the SDG 3.2 targets (U5MR 25; NMR 12) by 2030.
The "Neonatal" Stubbornness: While U5MR has dropped, the share of neonatal deaths (0-28 days) in total under-five deaths has risen. Nearly 63% of all child deaths in India now happen in the first month of life.
The Malnutrition Nexus: Malnutrition acts as a force multiplier. With 35.5% of children stunted (NFHS-5), Indian children have weaker immunity to fight off common infections.
State Disparities: The national average hides the reality of the "hinterland." States like Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh still have mortality rates comparable to Sub-Saharan Africa, while Kerala matches the USA.
Focus on the "Golden Hour": Strengthening Labour Room Quality (LaQshya Guidelines) to prevent birth asphyxia during the first hour of birth.
Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC): Scaling up KMC facilities for premature babies, which is a low-cost, high-impact intervention.
Stillbirth Surveillance: India has become one of the first countries to implement a robust Stillbirth Surveillance System to count and analyze "invisible" deaths.
Social Determinants: Addressing maternal anemia and early marriage is now more critical for child survival than just building more hospitals.
India is on track to achieve the SDG 3.2 target for Under-5 Mortality (25 by 2030), but the Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) target of 12 remains a major challenge due to the high burden of premature births
Source: DDNEWS
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements regarding the UNIGME Report 2025 findings for India: 1. India's Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) has fallen below 20 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024. 2. The share of neonatal deaths as a proportion of total under-five mortality has increased as U5MR has declined. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: b Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect: According to the UN IGME Report 2025, India’s Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) in 2024 stands at 27 per 1,000 live births. Statement 2 is correct: As overall child mortality (Under-5) declines due to better control of infectious diseases like pneumonia and diarrhoea, the "stubborn" share of neonatal deaths (deaths in the first 28 days) has proportionally increased. In India, neonatal deaths now account for approximately 62–64% of all under-five deaths, as these are harder to prevent and are linked to birth asphyxia, prematurity, and low birth weight. |
The UNIGME (United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation) Report provides comprehensive global estimates on child mortality, including the Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) and Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR), tracking the progress of nations toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Infectious diseases remain leading causes in low-income countries. Key areas of focus include pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, and measles, though mortality from these has fallen, however, deaths related to prematurity and low birthweight remain a challenge.
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