Child mortality rates are a critical indicator of a nation's health and development. The alarming rise in child mortality, particularly among newborns, underscores the urgent need for enhanced healthcare access and targeted interventions to address preventable deaths.

Institutional and Legal Framework

• Constitutional Provisions: Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees the right to life, which encompasses the right to health.
• National Health Mission (NHM) Act, 2013: Sections 3 and 4 focus on improving maternal and child health services.
• Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015: Sections 2 and 3 emphasize children's rights and protection.
• National Food Security Act, 2013: Section 3 ensures access to adequate food for children, addressing malnutrition.

Major Highlights of Child Mortality Trends

• Global Child Mortality: An estimated 4.9 million children died before the age of five in 2024, with 2.3 million of these deaths occurring in newborns.
• Preventable Deaths: Nearly half of all under-five deaths are preventable through low-cost interventions and improved healthcare access.
• Leading Causes: Newborn deaths are primarily due to prematurity, complications during labor, and neonatal infections, while pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria are the leading causes for children aged 1-59 months.
• Malnutrition Impact: Over 100,000 children aged 1-59 months died from severe acute malnutrition in 2024, highlighting the intersection of health and nutrition.

Key Challenges in Addressing Child Mortality

• Healthcare Access: Limited access to quality healthcare services, particularly in rural areas, exacerbates child mortality rates.
• Socio-economic Factors: Poverty, lack of education, and inadequate nutrition significantly influence child health outcomes.
• Policy Gaps: Insufficient integration of healthcare services that address both immediate health needs and underlying social determinants of health.
• Data Deficiencies: Inconsistent data collection hampers effective monitoring and evaluation of health interventions.

Critical Evaluation of Current Policies

Current policies addressing child mortality in India reveal significant structural gaps. The focus on immediate healthcare interventions often neglects the broader socio-economic determinants that contribute to child mortality.

• Policy Design: Existing health policies lack comprehensive strategies that integrate nutrition, education, and healthcare.
• Governance Capacity: Insufficient coordination among various health programs leads to fragmented service delivery.
• Structural Factors: Socio-economic disparities hinder equitable access to healthcare services, particularly for marginalized communities.

Comparative Case Studies

To better understand child mortality trends, it is essential to examine case studies from various countries that have successfully reduced their child mortality rates.

Case Study: Bangladesh

Bangladesh has made significant strides in reducing child mortality over the past two decades. The country implemented a comprehensive health program that includes community health workers, improved maternal health services, and nutrition programs. As a result, Bangladesh's under-five mortality rate decreased from 94 per 1,000 live births in 2000 to 36 per 1,000 live births in 2020.

Case Study: Ethiopia