There were 5900 infant deaths in Jammu and Kashmir during last three years, admitted health minister Bali Bhagat in Legislative Council today.
To a question of PDP MLC Firdous Ahmed Tak during the question hour, he said the highest 2,288 infant deaths took place in 2016-17, followed by 2,034 in 2015-16 and 1,578 in 2017-18 up to November 2017.
The minister said, 5,11,662 deliveries have taken place in last three years, Bhagat said, adding while 1,94,632 deliveries took place in 2016-17, 1,91,151 in 2015-16 and 1,25,879 deliveries took place in 2017-18 up to November 2017.
According to simple registration survey, infant mortality rate in Jammu and Kashmir was 51 in 2007 which declined to 24 in 2016, better than the national average of 34, the minister said.
However, Firdous Tak not satisfied with the reply and demanded deferring of question.
Giving details of newborn care units functioning in the state, the Minister informed that there are 24 Special Newborn Care Units, 76 Newborn Stabilization Units and 281 Newborn Care Corners facilitating the people in various districts of the state.