In 41 years, as India's economy grew 21 times, infant mortality dropped 68%

However, this rate is still worse than poorer neighbours Bangladesh and Nepal

Over 41 years to 2016, a national health programme for children has led to a 68% drop in India’s infant mortality rate (IMR), but the IMR of 41 deaths per 1,000 live births is still worse off than poorer neighbours Bangladesh (31) and Nepal (29).

It is now 42 years since the integrated child development scheme (ICDS)–the world’s largest integrated early childhood programme–was launched, and its successes and failures mirror India’s inability to improve health services to match the growth in its economy, which grew 21 times–or 2,100%–between 1975 and