Rajasthan's IMR down to 67 from 75 in a year

Jaipur, May 17 (UNI) The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in Rajasthan has dropped from 75 to 67 per 1,000 in a year.

According to the Registrar General of India's report, the IMR in Rajasthan was 75 in December 2003 which came down to 67 in December 2004. There has been a 10.67 per cent decrease in IMR in Rajasthan as compared to 3.33 per cent for the entire country.

State health minister Dr Digambar Singh, speaking at a news conference here, said Rajasthan's birth rate in 2004 has been reduced to 29 per 1,000 from 30.4 which comes to 4.29 per cent in a year. The national average was 2.82 per cent per year, much lesser than the state's average.

Asserting that the state government will spend Rs 407 crore on Rural Health Mission, the Minister said the government will appoint councillors and 'patient friends' in all 100-bedded government hospitals to help patients avail free treatment and other facilities available for them.

Dr Singh added that there has been a decrease of 63.36 per cent in malaria cases in 2004.

There has been a decrease of 40-50 per cent in cases of diarohea, jaundice and Hepatitis B in 2004 and 2005 as compared to 2003.

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