Madhya Pradesh has 12 per cent of India's under-five pneumonia deaths
The state ranks third in the country for pneumonia-related child deaths, according to data cited by the Free Press Journal.
Madhya Pradesh accounts for 12 per cent of pneumonia deaths among children under the age of five in India, according to a report by the Free Press Journal.
The state ranks third nationally in this category, following Uttar Pradesh at 26 per cent and Bihar at 22 per cent. Rajasthan follows Madhya Pradesh with 11 per cent.
Sample Registration System (SRS) data indicates the state has an under-five mortality rate of 44 deaths per 1,000 live births. Pneumonia remains a primary cause of death for infants and children under five.
At Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal, doctors see six to seven new pneumonia diagnoses every day. Professor and head of department at Gandhi Medical College, Lokendra Dave, said the hospital reports one to two pneumonia-related deaths daily.
Dave stated that delayed diagnosis is a primary reason for these fatalities. He added that pneumonia can result from viral or bacterial infections and that cases increase during the winter.
To manage respiratory distress and critical cases, the state health department has expanded its capacity to 68 paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) and 62 special newborn care units (SNCUs) as of late 2026.