Maternal mortality rate declines in India: Min

New Delhi, Dec 8 : Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad Tuesday said maternal mortality rate has declined in India.

'Based on the official estimates of Registrar General of India (RGI), the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has declined from 301 per 100,000 live births (2001-2003) to 254 per 100,000 live births (2004-06). This translates into approximately 67000 maternal deaths per year,' Azad said in Rajya Sabha.

The Reproductive and Child Health Programme Phase II (RCH-II) under the umbrella of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), aims to improve access for rural people, especially poor women and children to equitable, affordable accountable and effective primary health care, with a special focus on 18 States, with the ultimate objective of reducing Infant Mortality , Maternal Mortality and Total Fertility Rates, the Minister said