Maharashtra Govt Makes Child Death Reporting Mandatory For Private Hospitals
Maharashtra Govt Makes Child Death Reporting Mandatory For Private Hospitals
Mumbai, June 1, 2026: In a significant move aimed at reducing child mortality and improving the accuracy of health data, the Maharashtra state’s health department has made it compulsory for all private maternity homes, nursing homes, pediatric hospitals, and multispecialty hospitals to report every child death occurring at their hospitals.
The decision aligns with the Government of India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which targets at reducing neonatal and child mortality rates by 2030.
According to the health department, accurate data on child deaths is essential to know the causes and also to implement effective preventive measures. While public health institutions have been consistently recording child mortality data, concerns have emerged over inadequate reporting from private hospitals and nursing homes. To bridge the gap, the government has issued strict directives requiring private hospitals to notify the local government health centre of any child death within 24 hours.
In addition to this, all private hospitals are now required to submit monthly reports through the Health Management Information System (HMIS) portal of the central government. Hospitals which have not been registered yet are asked to obtain the user IDs and passwords from the respective District Health Officer, Civil Surgeon, or Municipal Medical Health Officer.
Officials stated it is essential to maintain accurate records on both the Civil Registration System and the HMIS platform will help authorities understand the exact causes of child deaths, know the shortcomings in referral and treatment systems, and address delays in healthcare facilities.
