Maternal Mortality Rate

As per the Union Health Minister, India has achieved the National Health Policy (NHP) target of MMR of 100 deaths per 1 lakh live births, between 1990 - 2020, India’s MMR declined by 83%, much higher than the global decline.

• About Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR): It is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in a given time period. It's a measure of the risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth.
• Key Achievements under National Health Mission (NHM): Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) declined by 69% compared to 55% globally.

oUnder-5 Mortality Rate saw a 75% reduction, surpassing the global decline of 58%.

o Total Fertility Rate (TFR) reduced from 3.4 (1992-93) to 2.0 (2019-21); 31 states achieved replacement level fertility (NFHS-5).

o Out-of-pocket health expenditure declined from 69.4% (2004-05) to 39.4% (2021-22), while government health expenditure increased to 48% of THE.

o Health Human Resources under NHM increased from 23,000 (2006-07) to 5.23 lakh (2023-24).

• About Mission Steering Group (MSG):

o Established under NRHM (2005), later subsumed into NHM.

o Provides broad policy direction and governance for NHM.

o Fully empowered to approve financial norms & advise the Empowered Programme Committee (EPC).

o This was the 9th NHM MSG meeting, last held on January 11, 2023.