New Delhi: A dramatic turnaround in Assam’s maternal healthcare indicators has brought the state’s maternal mortality ratio (MMR) below the national average for the first time, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hailing it as a “historic feat” driven by years of sustained public health intervention and the efforts of frontline healthcare workers across the state.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in an X post, claimed that Assam’s MMR has come down to 84, below the national average of 87.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), MMR is defined as the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. MMR is a critical public health indicator that gives insights into maternal health.
Sarma took charge as Assam’s health minister in 2006, and according to his post, the state’s MMR was at an abysmal 480 then, much higher than the nation’s 254. He was in charge of the health department till 2014, before making a comeback in 2016 as a BJP legislator.
There are some moments in public life which touch you very deeply. Today is one such moment for me.
Assam’s Maternal Mortality Rate has come down to 84. For the first time in our history, Assam is now below the national average of 88.
When I took over the Health Department in…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 26, 2026
When he left office in 2014, the state’s MMR was at 300, while India’s stood at 167. In 2016, the numbers dropped to 237 and 130, respectively.
In May 2021, Sarma was sworn in as the state’s chief minister, succeeding Sarbananda Sonowal. As per the special bulletin on maternal mortality in 2020-2022 published by the Union government, Assam’s MMR stood at 125. The next bulletin of 2021-2023 said it had improved to 110.
The Office of the Registrar General, India, has been providing estimates on fertility and mortality through special bulletins on maternal mortality in India using the sample registration system (SRS). The SRS is one of the largest demographic sample surveys in the country that provides direct estimates of maternal mortality through a nationally representative sample.
In the latest bulletin, Assam’s MMR dropped to 84, below India’s 87, marking a significant shift. Notably, Assam comes under the ‘Empowered Action Group’ (EAG), which comprises other states such as Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
“Behind this number are countless mothers who returned safely home to their families. Behind this success are years of sacrifice, sleepless nights and an unwavering commitment to save lives,” Sarma posted.
According to the SRS data, India’s MMR has halved from 167 in 2011-13 to 87 in 2022-24. India has surpassed its National Health Policy goal of an MMR of 100 set in 2017. India has committed to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal target of 70 per 1,00,000 live births by 2030.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)