Nagpur, Dec 12 (IANS) Maharashtra Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar, on Friday, told the state Assembly that 14,526 children have died in seven districts of the state over the past three years, attributing the data to government records.
Minister Abitkar placed the figures in a written reply to a query raised by BJP legislator Sneha Dubey.
According to the Minister, between 2022-23 and 2024-25, Pune, Mumbai, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nagpur, Amravati, Akola and Yavatmal districts reported a combined 14,526 child deaths.
The data includes infants and children aged below five years admitted to government facilities, as well as cases of severe malnutrition, Minister Abitkar said.
The Minister also admitted that 138 infants deaths have been recorded in Palghar district while 903 children are malnourished.
Citing the state Health department’s data as of November 2025, Minister Abitkar said 203 children were identified as suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and 2,666 from Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM).
The proportion of underweight children was recorded at 0.23 per cent, while 1.48 per cent fell in the moderately underweight category, he added.
He also referred to the Sample Registration System 2022, released by the Registrar General of India, which estimated Maharashtra’s neonatal mortality rate at 16 per 1,000 live births, lower than the national average of 23.
Minister Abitkar said the state government has adopted multiple measures under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) to reduce malnutrition.
“These include regular health examinations, the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Amrut Aahar Yojana for pregnant women, targeted interventions for SAM children, the Nutrition Campaign, the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and the ‘Suposhit Maharashtra’ initiative.”
Meanwhile, Minister Abitkar told the state Assembly that the state recorded a marginal increase in deaths linked to Covid-19 in 2025 despite fewer reported infections.
In a written reply, the Minister said 35 people died of Covid-19 between January and October 2024, while 46 deaths were recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
Minister Abitkar responded to the query raised by NCP legislator Sachin Patil.
He noted that the rise in fatalities came even though the number of infections fell sharply.
Maharashtra reported 5,524 Covid-19 cases from January to October 2024, compared to 2,781 cases during the same period in 2025.
Responding to another query, the Minister said that the country has set a target of bringing cases of malaria to zero by 2027 and eradicate it by 2030.
“Between January to October 2024, 1,84,78,344 blood samples were tested. It was increased to 1,99,57,902 during January to October 2025. Except Mumbai city, Mumbai suburban and Gadchiroli districts, the state’s Malaria annual parasite incident is less than one,” Minister Abitkar added.
–IANS
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