India accounts for 13 per cent of preterm birth rate and it ranges from 5 to 18 per cent in respect of other countries across the world. This information was given in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today by Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad. He said as per
a recent publication — the global action report on preterm births, India has the highest number of preterm deaths.

The Minister said the government has made several interventions to reduce infant mortality. He said the release for Reproductive and Child Health programme under the National Rural Health Mission have been increased from 898 crore rupees in 2005-06 to over 4000 crore rupees in 2011-12