ABSTRACT
Background: In spite of the weak health care delivery system, the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) of the state of Manipur as reported in the Sample Registration System Bulletins has been consistently very low (≈11 per 1,000 live births) for the last five years or so. This warranted a study to re-affirm it and also to explore the important reasons of why and how the IMR could be brought down to very low levels. Objectives: The study objectives were to make an estimate of IMR in the Rural Field Practice Area (RFPA) of JN Institute of Medical Sciences, Manipur and also to assess the important infant-care practices starting from before the child is born till infancy. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was done in the RFPA of JNIMS during Sept-Oct 2018. Using a pre-tested semi-structured and semi-open interview schedule that had sections on socio-demographic profile, details of infant deaths and infant-care practices starting from ante-natal visits, information were collected from a scientifically calculated sample size of 150 women who had live births in the last one year prior to the study, immaterial of the survival status of the infant. Data collected were analysed and presented by using descriptive statistics. Results: Not even a single infant died in the last one year. Better infant care practices were seen in the study area when compared to the latest NFHS-4 Report for the state of Manipur. Some of these important better practices were pregnant women having ≥ 3 ANC visits (98%), institutional delivery rate (94%), conducting home deliveries by skilled health personnel (22.2%), exclusive breastfeeding rate (77.3%) and proportion of infants aged 6-12 months adequately fed (35%). Conclusion: The estimated IMR in the study area was zero. The better infant-care practices prevailing in the study area might have averted infant deaths.