2023, Vol. 8, Special Issue 4

Level of death rate; more importantly, childhood mortality reflects a society’s status of well-being. The objective of the study is toanalyzee the levels and trends in infant and child mortality of past two decades in Odisha collected from the various surveys/ sources and make it available in one place. The study used data from the sample registration system collected between 2000 to 2020 and different rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) in India. The latest round of the National Family Health Survey (fifth round) was conducted in 2019-21. Between 2000 and 2020, there was a downward trend in IMR, CMR, and U5MR in both rural and urban areas in Odisha and India. The decline was more rapid and statistically significant in rural areas but not in urban areas, hence the gap in urban–rural differentials narrowed over time. The significant reduction from 2000 to 2020 (in two decades) are almost 43 and 60 points in India and Odisha respectively. In the first decade, the decline rate of IMR was maximum (34 points) than the second decade (25) in Odisha. To reduce childhood mortality, extra emphasis is needed in the rural areas and disadvantaged districts of Odisha.