PATNA, May 10 -- Bihar's maternal mortality rate (MMR), which is the number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, has dropped by 18 points to come down to 100 against the national average of 93, as per the latest data of Sample Registration System (SRS) 2025, said Bihar's health minister Mangal Pandey, while addressing mediapersons in Patna on Thursday. The MMR is a key indicator of the health and safety of mothers before, during, and after childbirth, and is used to assess the quality of maternal healthcare and access to medical services during pregnancy and childbirth. Bihar's MMR, which was 118 as per the SRS report released in 2021, had now come down to 100 per one lakh live births in the SRS report released in 2025. At the same time, the infant mortality rate is also equal to the national average. "These improvements are a result of the qualitative changes and improvement in the health services in the state under the able guidance of chief minister Nitish Kumar, and the efficient functioning of officials in the health department," said Pandey. Pandey said the MMR was 130 between 2017 and 2019 that came down to 118 in 2018-2020. The fast decline in MMR compares with the national average, which had gone down from 103 to 93 in the SRS reports of 2021 and 2025. "These figures prove the improvement in the health services in Bihar and the strong commitment of the state government. At the same time, some states around Bihar like West Bengal, has registered an increase in MMR from 94 to 109 during the same period," the minister added. Pandey said that even during the coronavirus pandemic between 2020 and 2021, when there was extreme pressure on the healthcare system, the Bihar government gave priority to maternal and child health. Despite the lack of resources, lockdown restrictions and the COVID-19 crisis, the state government continued to provide high-quality maternal care services. During this period, the active presence of ASHA workers, nurses and ANMs was ensured in rural areas and services were provided through telemedicine, ensuring that health services reached the rural areas of the state, he added....