Saving the tiniest lives: The story behind Kerala’s surprising infant mortality feat

The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) report has highlighted a striking milestone for Kerala — the state had achieved an infant mortality rate (IMR) of 5, a figure lower than even the US (5.6).

This achievement is all the more remarkable because for over two decades, between 1995 and 2015, Kerala’s IMR stubbornly refused to fall below 12-15. Breaking free of that stagnation took persistence, innovation, and a rare partnership between the state govt and the paediatrician community.
Infant mortality rate refers to the number of infant deaths under one year of age per 1,000 live births. Even at an IMR of 12, Kerala was well ahead of the rest of the country.

However, while India’s IMR fell from roughly 75 to 37 in the same two decades, showing remarkable progress, Kerala’s IMR barely budged. This made the state govt take a hard look at what was holding Kerala back.