The government’s flagship scheme, Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), has helped reduce infant and child mortality in the country. The SBM has also played a transformative role in India. This was revealed in a study titled Toilet Construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission and Infant Mortality in India, published by a research journal.
The study covered the period from 2014 to 2020 in which the government constructed over 100 million household toilets and said that in 2003 the majority of districts in the country had an infant mortality rate (IMR) exceeding 60 per 1000 live births.
However, by 2020, most districts had achieved an IMR below 30. Sharing this study on his social media platform, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said access to proper toilets plays a crucial role in reducing infant and child mortality. He added that clean and safe sanitation has become a game-changer for public health, and he is glad that India has taken the lead in this direction.
