Karnataka aiming to bring down infant mortality rate to single digit, says CM Bommai

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said budgetary allocation for health and education has been increased while programmes are being implemented to eradicate malnutrition, and nutritious food is being served to children at Anganwadis and children of the poor working class.

The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in Karnataka is two percent (around 20 per 1000 live births), and the aim is to bring it down to single digit, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Sunday.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai. (PTI)

He also advocated the need for bringing down Maternal Mortality Rate in the state. "The IMR and MMR is much lower in the state except for 5-6 districts which have dragged the state a bit down. So we are giving special focus to these districts. For the first time in the history of the state we have identified these aspirational taluks. We are working with high parameters on education, health, nutrition, women and child welfare in these taluks," Bommai said.

Efforts are on a war footing to bring down MMR in these 5-6 districts, he said and appealed to the medical fraternity to join hands with the government in this endeavour.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the 'Conference on Updates in Specialty Pediatrics' organised by the Rainbow Children's Hospital here. He noted that budgetary allocation for health and education has been increased while programmes are being implemented to eradicate malnutrition, and nutritious food is being served to children at Anganwadis and children of the poor working class.

He also emphasised the role of Pediatricians in maintaining the health of a child from the conception stage to adulthood.