Patna, Nov 2 Reduce the infant mortality rate in Bihar, the State Government has started an initiative of sending greeting cards to the families of newborns with a message stating the significance of breast-feeding for mother and child.

Health Minister of Bihar Government Nand Kishor Yadav said that the infant mortality rate would drop by 22 percent, if the mothers breastfed their babies.

"The mortality rate of the mother and the child is very high in India. So, in order to promote breast-feeding, we can drop the infant mortality rate by 22 percent and for this effort we have been praised by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)," Yadav said.

"We want to spread the message of breast-feeding even in the remote villages through these cards which had the name of children written on them. Generally it is observed had we printed the brochures the parents would have thrown them away, but the cards they will preserve and through the card the message of breast feeding is being spread," he added.

The greeting card advises the mothers to breastfeed their newly born babies during the first six months.

Families have appreciated the initiative saying that it was a good method to educate them about the advantages of breast-feeding.

"We are very happy on being given this card on the baby's delivery. The message on the card informs how to keep the baby healthy and the mothers are advised to breast feed the children for six months," said Rinku Devi, mother of a newborn baby.

India has the highest infant mortality rate in the world, a nationwide survey reveals. According to a United Nations Human Development report, India has slipped from 128th to 134th rank in 2009. (ANI)