Maternal and infant health in India face significant challenges, including high maternal and infant mortality rates, malnutrition, lack of access to quality healthcare, and persistent socio-economic disparities. These issues are exacerbated by factors like insufficient infrastructure, a shortage of trained healthcare personnel, and limited access to essential services in rural areas.

However, India has made significant progress in reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, according to the Government of India. The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) has decreased from 130 to 93 per 100,000 live births, while the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has dropped from 39 to 27 per 1,000 live births. Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR) has also declined from 26 to 19 per 1,000 live births.

The decline in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR), Neonatal Mortality Rate (NMR), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), and Under-5 Mortality Rate (U5MR) in India can be attributed to advancements in healthcare infrastructure, increased awareness, and various government initiatives.

How CSR is working to improve maternal and child health in India?

Several Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives are aimed to improve maternal and infant health in India by increasing access to care, enhancing education and awareness, and supporting community-based interventions. These CSR projects focus on promoting healthy nutrition, early breastfeeding initiation and exclusive breastfeeding, and encouraging the uptake of public health services.

Top CSR Programmes for Maternal and Child Health in India

Baby Feeding Centres across Bengaluru – CSR of SBI

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, the State Bank of India, Bengaluru Circle, has extended its support to the Child Help Foundation (CHF) to establish four Baby Feeding Centres across Bengaluru city. This initiative aims to provide safe, hygienic, and private spaces for lactating

These centres have been set up at Banashankari Metro Station (Green Line), Rashtriya Vidyalaya Road–RV Road Metro Station (Green Line), Benniganahalli Metro Station (Purple Line), and the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH).

Mothers, particularly working women and daily commuters can feed their babies comfortably during travel. These centres are located in high-footfall metro stations and a children’s hospital where such facilities are most needed.

Boat Clinic Programme – CSR of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals in Assam’s Darrang

Glenmark Foundation, in partnership with the Centre for North East Studies & Policy Research (C-NES) and the Darrang District Administration, launched a Boat Clinic Programme in July, 2024. This programme focuses on maternal and child health by targeting the most vulnerable populations to ensure children have a healthier start in life. It aims to deliver essential healthcare services to remote riverine communities, particularly addressing thechallenges posed by seasonal flooding.

Access to healthcare in remote communities is a significant challenge due to geographical barriers and frequent flooding, which often isolates these areas and disrupts healthcare delivery. The boat clinic initiative is designed to overcome these challenges by providing a mobile healthcare unit that can navigate flood-affected regions with a special focus on women and children, who are the most vulnerable in difficult conditions.

The Boat Clinic provides basic health care services through a specially developed boat equipped with a laboratory and a pharmacy. A fully-fledged medical team, including doctors, nurses, lab technicians, and pharmacists, will conduct regular health camps through a network of community health workers and organizers in the district.

By offering services such as immunizations, prenatal care, and health education, the programme aims to ensure continuous healthcare access, improve health outcomes in these vulnerable areas, and foster sustainable development.

Glenmark Foundation, the CSR arm of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, works towards improving maternal and child health. It aims to encourage positive health-seeking behavior among pregnant women, mothers with infants, and caregivers towards right nutrition, good hygiene practices, and immunization for children.

NTPC’s Mobile Medical Unit to enhance Maternal and Child Healthcare in Bihar

NTPC Kanti launched a mobile medical unit for improving maternal and child healthcare in the region. This groundbreaking initiative is the first of its kind at NTPC’s Muzaffarpur-based power plant, which generates 390 MW at Kanti, and underscores NTPC’s steadfast commitment to community welfare through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.

The Mobile Medical Unit is designed to provide essential healthcare services to 42 villages surrounding NTPC Kanti, directly benefiting approximately 10,000 villagers. The unit is equipped and staffed by a highly skilled healthcare team, including two doctors (one male and one female), a nurse, two paramedical staff, and a driver. This initiative aims to address critical healthcare needs and improve health outcomes for mothers and children in these underserved communities. The mobile medical unit will look after pregnant women and newborn baby.

Tata Motors’ ‘Aarogya’ CSR Programme

The Tata Motors ‘Aarogya’ programme is a comprehensive health initiative to improve the well-being of underserved communities across India. Since its inception, the programme has significantly addressed critical health issues, particularly in child health and maternal care.

The program is designed to combat malnutrition among children aged 0 to 6 years by detecting and diagnosing malnutrition, providing supplementary diets and supplements, and offering generic medicines and consultations for immediate improvement. By shifting from institutional-based clinical approaches to community-based health interventions, Tata Motors has created a sustainable impact, successfully moving more than 91 per cent of malnourished children to healthy zones over the past decade.

To foster behavioural changes within communities, particularly targeting young mothers and parents, the program includes awareness sessions and antenatal and postnatal services. Additionally, curative healthcare services such as diagnosis, administration of generic medicines, and consultations are provided to cater to the healthcare needs of the communities.

CSR of Alembic Pharmaceuticals for Speech-Impaired Mothers

Alembic CSR, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of Alembic Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with Havas Life Mumbai, the healthcare communication vertical of Havas India, has launched ‘LullabAI’, an AI enabled platform designed to empower speech-impaired mothers.

This platform will enable speech-impaired mothers to create personalised lullabies in their own voices for their babies. This initiative stands at the intersection of generative AI and inclusivity, setting a new benchmark for technological advancements with a heart.

In India, lullabies are represent a unique bonding experience between a mother and her child, playing a crucial role in a baby’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. For speech-impaired mothers, the chance to share this cherished tradition has long been out of reach. ‘LullabAI’ aims to bridge this gap, offering these mothers an opportunity to create lasting memories with their babies through personalised lullabies.

Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) at Telangana Hospital – CSR of Indian Oil

A Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), a 40-bed special ward and a mechanised laundry were inaugurated by Collector Koya Sree Harsha along with Peddapalli MLA Chinthakunta Vijaya Ramana Rao at the District Headquarters Hospital in Telangana’s Peddapalli town in April, 2025.

The new facilities have been set up with the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). Hospital superintendent Dr. Sridhar, District Medical and Health Officer Dr. Anna Prasanna Kumari and the staff of the Matha Shishu Kendram were present at the inaugural ceremony.

Maternal & Newborn Survival Initiative (MANSI) – CSR of Tata Steel Limited

Lack of easy access to institutional care and low level of awareness about proper care for mothers and babies lead to high mortality among and infants in remote rural areas. With an aim to address the same, Tata Steel Limited launched its initiative ‘MANSI’ (Maternal & Newborn Survival Initiative) which reduces mortality among neonates and infants by enhancing the capacity of Government health volunteers (ASHAs/Sahiyas) in the Home Based Newborn Care (HBNC) system.

Tata Steel, the National Health Mission (NHM), American India Foundation (AIF) and the Society for Education Action and Research in Community Health (SEARCH) – the pioneer of HBNC in India – have collaborated for the implementation of this project in public-private partnership. The project is being implemented in 12 blocks across Jharkhand and Odisha. The project has been successful in reducing the Neonatal Mortality Rate and Infant Mortality Rate.