517 child deaths reported in 11 months

According to data from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 517 children under the age of five were reported dead between April 2024 and February 2025.

- Vicky Pathare

JUNE:

The year before, from April 2023 to March 2024, the number was even higher—792 deaths. In total, 1,309 children in the 0–5 age group have died in just two years, as per the records of the PMC's city family welfare bureau.

Furthermore, the report stated that the PMC had reported fewer deaths in earlier years—194 child deaths in 2022-2023 and 370 in 2021-2022.

The PMC has attributed the rise to more precise reporting.

PMC health officials claim that poor prenatal and postnatal care, malnutrition, infectious diseases, preterm birth complications, birth asphyxia, and lack of timely medical support are among the main causes.

However, they add that life-saving interventions like skilled delivery at birth, quality postnatal care, breastfeeding, adequate nutrition, timely vaccinations, and treatment for common childhood diseases could prevent many of these deaths.

Dr Rajesh Dighe, assistant health chief of PMC, said the surge in reported deaths is largely due to improved reporting.

"Initially, the PMC was dependent on figures and information provided by hospitals. However, for the past two years, ward medical officers have been personally visiting hospitals and collecting information about deaths in children aged up to five years," he said.

Prashant Udavant, senior pediatrician, Ruby Hall Clinic, said the increased population migration and people from various districts like Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, Nashik and Ahmadnagar for good medical facilities come to Pune for treatment is the reason behind the large number of child deaths.

"Preterm birth, pneumonia, infection and diarrhea are among the known common reasons behind deaths in children. Many migrant populations don't complete their primary immunization, and vaccination is an important step," he said.