A study published in the prestigious international science journal ‘Nature’ says Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream project ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ has helped avert around 60 thousand to 70 thousand infant deaths annually between 2011 and 2020 in India. Researchers from the International Food Policy Research Institute, the University of California, and Ohio State University conducted a quasi-experimental study to investigate the association between the Swachh Bharat Mission and infant and under-five mortality rates in India. They studied infant mortality and under-five mortality data from 35 states and 640 districts between 2011 and 2020.

The study said that after the Swachh Bharat Mission period, India exhibited accelerated reductions in infant and child mortality compared to the pre-Swachh Bharat Mission years. An author of the paper, Soyra Gune, said their findings confirmed that improved water and sanitation conditions may reduce infant mortality, particularly in countries like India, where open defecation is highly prevalent. Shared the link to this study, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he is happy to see research highlighting the impact of efforts like the Swachh Bharat Mission. Mr. Modi said access to proper toilets plays a crucial role in reducing infant and child mortality.

Prime Minister said clean, safe sanitation has become a game-changer for public health, and he is glad India has taken the lead in this. The Swachh Bharat Mission was launched in 2014 to make urban centres Open Defecation Free. According to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the second phase of the mission is being implemented, focussing on making Indian cities garbage-free by 2026.