Infant mortality rate in India

High infant mortality rate defined as number of death per 1000 live births has been a worrying issue for India. In 2016, India's infant mortality rate was 34, which is half of what it was in 2000.

The rate has gone down consitently each year, showing that the issue of healthcare has been the primary focus of each government.

Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Although the rate is going down, it is still a high number. Infant mortality rate in the United States is as low as 5.8, according to Center for Disease Control and Prevention. In comparison, India's rate is around 6 times more than the United States.

Critics and experts say that India needs to invest more in the rural healthcare system and education. An analysis of the data suggests that infant mortality rate depends on literacy and expenditure.

Madhya Pradesh, India's largest state in area, had highest infant mortality rate in 2016. It is among the states with low literacy rate in India and is among the states with low healthcare expenditure per capita in 2016. The states that follow Madhya Pradesh in terms of high infant mortality rate have similar story.

Sixteen states have infant mortality rate above the nationwide mean of 24. Madhya Pradesh is topping the list with 47 deaths per 1000 live births. Odisha, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan also have high infant mortality rates. These States have high rural population. It is surprising particularly because these States together send nearly half of the members to the parliament.