Need to improve civil registration system
N. RAMA RAO
THE UNION Health and Family Welfare Ministry and the Registrar General have recently announced that there is a decline at the national level in the infant mortality rate (IMR) defined as the number of infant deaths (in the first year of life) per 1,000 live births in a year and in the maternal mortality ratio (MMR), computed as the number of maternal deaths to 100,000 live births in a year.
From the level of more than 200 in the 1940s, IMR came down to about 70 in India at the turn of this century and stood at 58 in 2005. It is considerably higher in rural areas (64) than in urban areas (40). Among the bigger States (with a population of 10 million and more), it varies from 14 in Kerala to 75 and 76 in Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.
The MMR at the country level is reported to have substantially come down to 301 during 1997-2003 as against 407 in the early 90s. The MMR was the lowest in Kerala (110) followed by Tamil Nadu (134). Maternal deaths could be controlled if medical attention is received by the mother at the time of delivery. It is unfortunate that only about one third of all live births in 2004 occurred in private or public hospitals.
Source of data
It is the sample survey conducted from time to time that provides these statistics and not the civil registration system which is designed to register all births and deaths taking place in the country. Policy initiatives are therefore based on the results of sample surveys covering a small selected cross section of the population and not the whole population.
The registration of births and deaths in India started on a voluntary basis in the early times and there was no uniformity in the statistical returns due to under registration and incomplete coverage. The Registration of Births and Deaths Act enacted in 1969 unified the civil registration activities for the first time.
Though registration was made compulsory under the Act there has been large scale under registration in several States and Union Territories. Recognising the need for reliable demographic data for socio-economic development and implementation of family welfare measures, the scheme of continuously registering births and deaths on a sample basis was initiated in 1969-70.
Popularly known as the Sample Registration System (SRS), this has been a joint effort of the Central and State governments and is being implemented by the Office of the Registrar General, India, in the Ministry of Home Affairs. It is the largest demographic survey in the world covering a population of about 6.7 million in 1.3 million households. It serves as the main source of fertility and mortality indicators both at State and national levels.
Limitations
The limitations of the SRS are that being a sample survey with the sample size of less than 1 per cent it cannot produce data at lower administrative levels such as district/taluk/panchayat.
As the samples are changed only once in 10 years there is a likelihood of bias on the part of enumerators who have to enquire about these events from the same set of residents month after month. Residents are also likely to resent that they are being surveyed every month for this purpose while in the neighbouring areas there is no such enquiry.
It is therefore of utmost importance to make the registration of births and deaths complete in States/UTs. Availability of data from civil registration with 100 per cent coverage will be very useful in not only providing reliable demographic indicators but also in planning for development at the grassroots level, and in making precise population projections.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Open Page
