A recent study has revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “The Swachh Bharat Mission”, has played a crucial role in averting approximately 70,000 infant deaths annually. This groundbreaking finding underscores the transformative impact of improved sanitation on public health in India.
Launched in October 2014, Swachh Bharat Mission aimed to eliminate open defecation and improve solid waste management across the country. Over the years, the initiative has facilitated the construction of more than 100 million household toilets.
Study on Swachh Bharat Mission:
Researchers from IFPRI conducted a comprehensive study, analyzing data from nationally representative surveys across 35 states from 2000 to 2020. The study found a direct correlation between increased toilet access and a reduction in infant mortality rates.
According to the study, a 10% improvement in district-level toilet access corresponded to a 0.9-point reduction in infant death rates and a 1.1-point reduction in mortality rates for children under five years of age. This translates to an estimated 60,000-70,000 infant lives saved each year.
Prime Minister Modi took to social media to express his satisfaction with the study’s findings. “Happy to see research highlighting the impact of efforts like the Swachh Bharat Mission. Access to proper toilets plays a crucial role in reducing infant and child mortality. Clean, safe sanitation has become a game-changer for public health,” he wrote.
The study also highlighted broader benefits of increased access to toilets, including improved women’s safety, financial savings due to reduced medical expenses, and an overall better quality of life. However, it pointed out persistent inequalities in adopting and using toilets due to caste and religion-based discriminatory practices.
The Swachh Bharat Mission’s success story serves as a model for other low- and middle-income countries, emphasizing the need for similar interventions to improve child health outcomes globally1.
As India continues to make progress under the Swachh Bharat Mission, the focus remains on ensuring sustainable sanitation practices.
