Events of CHP
A roundtable discussion on “Gender Disparities in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in Bihar” was organized by The Centre for Health Policy (CHP) at ADRI, Patna on 23rd March 2018. The objective of the meeting was to understand the reality behind the widening gender gap in IMR in Bihar. One of the main focus of the discussion was to settle the contradiction among different data sources on gender differential in IMR. Dr. Rakhi Dandona from Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) presented her analysis on triangulation of all data sources. She emphasized that the decline in IMR is smooth over the period and there should not be any real gender gap in IMR as per statistical reasoning. Dr. Saswata Ghosh from the CHP, ADRI presented the prevailing data inconsistencies in Sample Registration System (SRS). He argued that there is huge inconsistency between reported IMR and estimates of probability of dying obtained by using life tables as per SRS data. Dr. Tanmay Mahapatra from CARE India, Patna, presented his analysis from their household surveydata. He highlighted the apparent gender disparity in treatment-seeking behaviour among infants.
Principal Secretary – Health, Mr. Sanjay Kumar highlighted different initiatives being taken by the State Government to reduce gender gaps in treatment seeking and to improve health outcomes, especially among under-five girls in Bihar. He appreciated such timely initiation of discussion by CHP and re-iterated that the state government would definitely take stringent steps towards reducing gender disparity in child health care, based on the recommendations of this discussion. Dr. Yamini Atmavilas from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation moderated the entire discussion. Dr. Shaibal Gupta, Member Secretary, ADRI emphasized that the message from such high level technical discussions should reach law-makers and larger audience through media and other sources. He also suggested to inform the legislators about the key outcome of such discussions for further deliberation and decision at appropriate forum. Earlier in the day, Dr. Basudeb Guha-Khasnobis, Executive Director, CHP, welcomed the guests and introduced the agenda of the discussion. Ms. Usha Kiran and Mr. Debarshi Bhattacharya form the gates foundation also provided their valuable inputs for future policy agenda. Dr. Sunita Lall from ADRI was also present during the discussion.Prof. Daisy Narayan, Dr. Dilip Kumar, Mr. Indrajeet Choudhury, Dr. Hemant Shah and Dr. Ashmita Gupta also participated. Dr. Arundhati Char and Dr. Vikash Keshri from CHP provided inputs for gender sensitive health systems in Bihar.