Swachh Bharat Mission Linked to Reduction in Infant Mortality: New Study Reveals

Swachh Bharat Mission: A recent study published in the Science journal Nature has highlighted the significant impact of the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) on reducing infant deaths in India. According to the study, the toilets built under this initiative may have prevented 60,000 to 70,000 infant deaths each year.

The research, titled “Toilet Construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission and Infant Mortality in India,” was authored by Suman Chakrabarti, Soyra Gune, Tim A. Bruckner, Julie Strominger, and Parvati Singh, and published on September 2.

Background on Swachh Bharat Mission

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October 2014, SBM aims to eliminate open defecation by providing household toilets across India. It is one of the largest sanitation programs globally. The study reviewed data on infant and under-five mortality rates across 35 states and 640 districts from 2011 to 2020 to assess the impact of the program.

Key Findings

Inverse Association Between Toilet Access and Child Mortality

Historically, there has been a strong relationship between increased toilet access and reduced child mortality in India. The study found that as toilet construction surged after SBM’s launch, infant and child mortality rates decreased significantly.

Impact of Toilet Construction

Since SBM began; over 117 million toilets have been built, with a public investment exceeding Rs.1.4 lakh crore. The study found that each 10 percentage point increase in toilet access at the district level corresponded to a reduction of 0.9 points in infant mortality rate (IMR) and 1.1 points in under-five mortality rate (U5MR). Districts with over 30% toilet coverage saw even greater reductions: 5.3 in IMR and 6.8 in U5MR per thousand live births, translating to around 60,000–70,000 fewer infant deaths annually.

SBM’s Comprehensive Approach

SBM’s strategy combines toilet construction with extensive Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns and community engagement. This comprehensive approach marks a significant improvement over previous sanitation efforts in India, which often lacked such broad-based strategies.

Broader Public Health Benefits

The study also suggests that the increased access to toilets has likely reduced exposure to harmful pathogens, leading to fewer cases of diarrhea and malnutrition—two major contributors to child mortality.

Prime Minister Modi’s Response

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the findings, emphasizing the critical role of proper sanitation in improving public health. He highlighted that SBM’s focus on clean and safe sanitation has made a substantial difference in reducing infant and child mortality rates.

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In summary, the SBM has had a transformative impact on public health in India, significantly reducing infant mortality and demonstrating the effectiveness of large-scale sanitation programs in improving overall health outcomes.