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Burden, Differentials, and Causes of Child Deaths in India

  • Smposium on Child Survival-III
  • Published:
The Indian Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To review the current information on trends, burden, differentials, causes, and timing of under five (U5) child deaths in India.

Methods

We reviewed and analyzed data on child deaths in India from official government sources, reports, surveys, and from the published literature. The secondary analyses were carried out to provide additional insight.

Results

An estimated 1.84 million under 5 child deaths, including approx 1.44 million infant and 940,000 neonatal deaths occurred in India during 2007. More than 60% of these Under 5 child deaths occurred in 5 states: Uttar Pradesh (27.0%), Bihar (11.3%), Madhya Pradesh (9.9%), Rajasthan (8.0%) and Andhra Pradesh (5.7%). Approximately 41% of all Under 5 child deaths happen in the first week of life and the risk of deaths during neonatal period was at least 68 times higher than the rest of childhood. The children living in rural areas, in the central Indian states, in the lowest 20% of wealth index have the highest risk of death in India. The mortality rates in under 5, infant, neonates and early neonatal period in India declined by 43.5%, 31.2%, 32.1%, and 21.6%, respectively, between 1990 to 2007. However, the rate of reduction has slowed in last 4 years (2003–2007), with negative trend in the early neonatal mortality rate. Neonatal conditions (33%), pneumonia (22%) and diarrhea (14%) are the leading causes of under 5 deaths in India. Sepsis, pneumonia (30.4%), birth asphyxia (19.5%), and pre-maturity (16.8%) are the 3 commonest causes of neonatal deaths (0–27 days).

Conclusions

The reduction in under 5 child mortality in India during 1990–2007 has been insufficient to attain Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG4). However, there have been variable declines in early neonatal, neonatal, infant and child mortality. Despite the well known importance of neonatal survival to attain MDG4, our data suggest the early neonatal mortality rate in India may be increasing in the recent years, which is a cause for serious concern. Achievement of MDG4 in India will require further acceleration in the reduction of the under 5 mortality rate, particularly, in the 5 highest burden states: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Dr V. Sreenivas at Dept. of Biostatistics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India for reviewing the statistical analysis. The first author acknowledges the help provided by Dr Ashok Mishra, Gwalior and Chris Sudfeld, Boston, during the preparation of this manuscript.

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors. The author’s affiliation reflects the affiliation at the time of writing this article; however, does not necessarily reflect the views of the organizations/institutions with which they have, in past or present, been affiliated.

Conflict of Interest

None.

Role of Funding Source

No funding was received for this work by any named author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Medicine, G.R. Medical College, Gwalior, India

    Chandrakant Lahariya

  2. Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute Medical Science, New Delhi, India

    Vinod K. Paul

  3. B6/5, Second Floor, Opposite NCC Office, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi, 110029, India

    Chandrakant Lahariya

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  1. Chandrakant Lahariya
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Correspondence to Chandrakant Lahariya.

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Lahariya, C., Paul, V.K. Burden, Differentials, and Causes of Child Deaths in India. Indian J Pediatr 77, 1312–1321 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-010-0185-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-010-0185-z

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