New Delhi: The construction of toilets the Swachh Bharat Mission may have helped in reducing in deaths of nearly 60,000-70,0000 deaths in a year, a new study has revealed. The team researched the data from surveys covering as many as 35 states/Union territories and more than 600 districts across the country for nearly over 20 years.
Sharing the survey conducted by the journal Scientific Reports, PM Modi wrote on X, “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.” He added, “Clean, safe sanitation has become a game-changer for public health. And, I am glad India has taken the lead in this.”
‘Increase in toilets reduced infant deaths’
The authors of the study in the journal did their research on the connection between an increase in toilet accessibility, built under the mission, and a decline in the number of deaths among infants and children aged under five years of age between the year 2000 to 2020. It found that access to toilets in districts increased by 10 percent during the period, which also lowered the deaths of infants by 0.9 points and those below five years of age by 1.1 points.
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. And, I am glad India has taken the…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 5, 2024
According to the authors, the access to toilets and deaths of children in India are inversely related in the country. In their study, they found that improving toilet facilities by 30 percent or more in a district resulted in a dip in deaths among infants and children. The authors added that the reduction in deaths among children shows the transformative role that the mission has played in India.
Study in line with South Asia and the rest of world context
The researchers further said that findings in the journal are in line with global and South Asian contexts, with several studies suggesting that better sanitation facilities can help reduce child mortality rates by 5-30 percent.