Health in Bihar, India: official figures
Life expectancy at birth in Bihar was 69.3 years in 2019-23 (68.9 for men, 69.7 for women), against 70.3 for India; 6th shortest of 22 with figures.
What is the infant mortality rate in Bihar?
23 babies in every 1,000 born alive in Bihar died before their first birthday in 2023 (Sample Registration System; India: 25), down from 42 in 2013; 10th highest of 35.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many mothers die in childbirth in Bihar?
104 mothers died for every 100,000 live births in Bihar in 2021-23 (maternal mortality ratio; India: 88).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many children in Bihar are anaemic?
69.4% of young children (6 to 59 months) in Bihar were anaemic in 2019-21 (National Family Health Survey 5), up from 63.5% in 2015-16; all-India: 67.1%; 10th highest of 36.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many pregnant women in Bihar are anaemic?
63.1% of pregnant women in Bihar were anaemic in 2019-21 (all-India: 52.2%), which raises the risk of low birth weight and of death in childbirth.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many hospital beds does Bihar have?
Bihar had 1,862 government hospitals with 26,518 beds at the end of 2022, about 0.21 beds per 1,000 people (all-India: 0.61; the fewest of 36). Private hospitals are not counted.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyAre there enough doctors in rural Bihar?
In March 2023, 2,945 doctors were working at Bihar's rural primary health centres, against 4,505 sanctioned posts (1,560 vacant) and 1,519 needed by national norms (Rural Health Statistics).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow many specialist doctors work in rural Bihar?
Rural community health centres in Bihar had 209 of the 1,096 specialists they need (surgeons, obstetricians and gynaecologists, physicians and paediatricians) in March 2023, 19% of the requirement (all-India: 20%).
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow much does Bihar spend on health?
Public spending on health in Bihar was ₹8,079 crore in 2019-20, about ₹673 per resident; the lowest of 31 with figures.
Source: Reserve Bank of India · saved copyHow Bihar compares with other states
Infant deaths per 1,000 live births (2023)
Bihar ranks 10 of 35, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Infant deaths per 1,000 live births |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Rajasthan | 29 |
| 8 | Jharkhand | 29 |
| 9 | Haryana | 26 |
| 10 | Bihar | 23 |
| 11 | Gujarat | 20 |
| 12 | Uttarakhand | 20 |
| 13 | Arunachal Pradesh | 20 |
Life expectancy at birth (2019-23)
Bihar ranks 17 of 22, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Life expectancy at birth |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Gujarat | 70.4 years |
| 15 | Karnataka | 70.0 years |
| 16 | Jharkhand | 69.5 years |
| 17 | Bihar | 69.3 years |
| 18 | Haryana | 68.8 years |
| 19 | Assam | 68.6 years |
| 20 | Uttar Pradesh | 68.0 years |
Government hospital beds per 1,000 people (2022)
Bihar ranks 36 of 36, highest first. Beds on 31 December 2022 divided by the official projected population for 2022.
| Rank | Region | Government hospital beds per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Haryana | 0.47 |
| 31 | Madhya Pradesh | 0.40 |
| 32 | Jharkhand | 0.35 |
| 33 | Uttar Pradesh | 0.34 |
| 34 | Chhattisgarh | 0.32 |
| 35 | Maharashtra | 0.22 |
| 36 | Bihar | 0.21 |
Children aged 6-59 months who are anaemic (2019-21)
Bihar ranks 10 of 36, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Children aged 6-59 months who are anaemic |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Punjab | 71.1% |
| 8 | Haryana | 70.4% |
| 9 | Telangana | 70.0% |
| 10 | Bihar | 69.4% |
| 11 | Delhi | 69.2% |
| 12 | West Bengal | 69.0% |
| 13 | Maharashtra | 68.9% |
More on Bihar: overview · economy and jobs · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · India
Sources
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 14: State-wise Children Aged 6-59 Months who are Anaemic, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 88b94ba8796f…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 15: State-wise Pregnant Women Aged 15-49 Years who are Anaemic, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 10416e5dd5f9…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 16: State-wise Health Infrastructure - Doctors and Specialists (Rural Health Statistics, 31 March 2023), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2e055836b4d9…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 18: State-wise Public Expenditure on Health, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 264dafcd814a…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 17: State-wise Number of Government Hospitals and Beds, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 86c53d763e42…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 4: State-wise Infant Mortality Rate, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7f5e2e5b7d62…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 7: State-wise Life Expectancy, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2d87cfcb6759…)
- Reserve Bank of India: Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25, Table 5: State-wise Maternal Mortality Ratio, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 43c67ae2dca5…)
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