Indian efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are making results and the country is 'on track' to attain the goals, according to Health Ministry.

As per the Millennium Development Goal 4, under five mortality rate (U-5 MR) has to be reduced by two thirds between the years 1990 and 2015. Target for U-5 MR is less than 38 per thousand live births and as per latest data available from Sample Registration System of the Registrar General of India, it stands at 59 per thousand live births (SRS 2010). “It has shown five points decline from 2008 to 2009 and 2009 to 2010, if this rate of decline is sustained, India is on track to achieve MDG 4 goal,” the ministry said.

The indicator pertaining to immunization is proportion of one year old children immunized against measles. Target for MDG is to achieve more than 80 per cent immunization coverage by 2015. As per District Level Household Survey (DLHS-3), the coverage for first dose of measles vaccine in the country was 69.5 per cent which further improved to 74.1 per cent in 2009 (Coverage Evaluation Survey, 2009). Also, a catch-up campaign has been initiated in 14 States to provide second opportunity for measles immunization, sources said.

“As per MDG 5, Maternal Mortality Ratio has to be reduced by three quarters between the years 1990 and 2015. Target for MMR is less than 109 per one lakh live births and as per latest data available it stands at 212 (SRS 2007-09). As per the Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group report 2010 (MMEIG), India has shown an average annual decline of 5.2 per cent between 1990 and 2010 and is one of the 50 countries that are making progress towards improving maternal health,” the ministry disclosed.

Detailing the interventions under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), the ministry said several programmes were initiated. Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) and Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) aim at promoting institutional delivery as a key step to reduce both maternal and neo-natal mortality.

Newborn care corners (NBCC) are being set up at all health facilities where deliveries take place to provide essential newborn care at birth to all new born babies. Special New Born Care Units (SNCUs) at District Hospitals and New Born Stabilization Units (NBSUs) at FRUs are being set up for the care of sick newborn. As on date 399 SNCUs, 1542 NBSUs and 11508 NBCCs are functional across the country.

Home Based Newborn Care (HBNC) through ASHA has recently been initiated to improve new born care practices at the community level and for early detection and referral of sick new born babies. Various trainings are being conducted under NRHM to build and upgrade the skills of doctors, nurses and ANM for early diagnosis and case management of common ailments of children and care of newborn at time of birth.

Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) targets to immunize 2.7 crore infants against seven vaccine preventable diseases every year. 21 states with more than 80 per cent coverage have incorporated second dose of Measles in their immunization programme. Pentavalent vaccine has been introduced in two states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and proposed to be scaled up in six more states. Year 2012-13 has been declared as ‘Year of intensification of Routine Immunization’. India has achieved a historic milestone by remaining polio free for one full year now. WHO has taken India off the list of polio endemic countries, the ministry said.