Also, one in five children aged 6-23 months receive an adequate diet. Although this is above than national average (11.1 per cent) but it still reflects poor dietary diversity and meal frequency. It is more of a representation of challenges in accessing food and poverty among the families. The result is stark: Nearly two-thirds of Odisha’s children under five are anemic, leaving them vulnerable to illness and stunted growth as well as their survival.
Finally, socio economic and cultural determinants have an effect on the state’s IMR. Behind these statistics lie deep social barriers. A fifth of women in the state are married before turning 18, and adolescent pregnancies remain high at 20.5 per cent in the state. With one-third of women still unable to read or write, many young mothers lack the information and support needed to safeguard their own health and that of their children leading to poor survival outcomes.
State intervention
The state has not remained a silent spectator. Over the years, Odisha has rolled out a range of programmes to address these challenges. These include cash incentive schemes like Maternity Benefit Scheme and Janani Suraksha Yojana to support pregnant and lactating women for better nutrition, compensation against wage loss and to promote institutional deliveries, breast feeding and child immunisation.
The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram was rolled out with the aim of reducing the financial burden by covering medicines, diagnostics, and transport. The Village Health and Nutrition Days bring check-ups, immunisation and counseling closer to families.
There are also community-based efforts, such as the Sishu Abong Matru Mrityuhara Purna Nirakaran Abhiyan to reduce maternal and child mortality, Community Management of Acute Malnutrition for managing severe acute malnutrition, and the Pada Pushti Karyakram for the children in remote communities with poor access to Anganwadi services.
Way forward
Odisha has made significant strides in reducing infant mortality over the past decade, but persistent challenges remain. Bridging these gaps is crucial for sustaining momentum and ensuring equitable health outcomes across the state.
To accelerate the reduction of IMR in Odisha, the first step should be to strengthen maternal, child and adolescent health services. This can be achieved by ensuring timely and quality antenatal, postnatal and newborn care, especially for home deliveries through early registration, regular check-ups and follow-ups.
Adolescent health must also be addressed and early marriages reduced by promoting education, reproductive health services and community awareness to delay marriage and prevent adolescent pregnancies.
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