A recent study published in Nature, a leading multi-disciplinary science journal, reveals that the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), India’s national sanitation program, has significantly contributed to reducing infant and under-five mortality rates, averting 60,000 – 70,000 infant deaths annually. This comprehensive study, using a quasi-experimental design, provides robust evidence that the increase in toilet access under SBM is linked to improved child survival outcomes.
Key Findings:
- Toilet Access and Child Mortality: The study found a strong inverse relationship between increased toilet access and reductions in infant mortality rate (IMR) and under-five mortality rate (U5MR). It analyzed data from 35 Indian states and 640 districts over a decade (2011–2020).
- Scale of Impact: Since the SBM’s launch in 2014, over 117 million toilets have been constructed, with a public investment exceeding ₹1.4 lakh crore. The study highlights that for every 10 percentage point increase in district-level toilet access, IMR reduces by 0.9 points and U5MR by 1.1 points. Districts with toilet coverage above 30% saw substantial reductions in IMR and U5MR, with decreases of 5.3 and 6.8 per thousand live births, respectively.
- SBM’s Comprehensive Strategy: Unlike earlier sanitation efforts, SBM combined toilet construction with significant investments in Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) and community engagement, making it more effective.
- Methodology: The research used two-way fixed effects regression models to account for socioeconomic, healthcare, and demographic factors, ensuring a precise analysis.
- Broader Health Benefits: Increased access to sanitation facilities likely reduced exposure to fecal-oral pathogens, leading to fewer cases of diarrhea and malnutrition, both major contributors to child mortality.
This study confirms the transformative impact of SBM on public health, marking a significant stride in India’s fight against infant and child mortality through improved sanitation.
