INDIA: Orissa fares worse than Bangla, BhutanFebruary 18th 2009 BHUBANESWAR: Despite all tall claims of initiation of effective measures to curb the high maternal and neonatal mortality rate, Orissa continues to be among the highest incidence states, according to the State of World Children report 2009 (SoWC) released by Unicef recently. The maternal mortality rate (MMR) (deaths per lakh live births) in Orissa is at 358 against 301 nationally. The State fares poorer than countries like El Salvador, Dominican Republic and Guatemala. Similarly, the U-5 (under-five) mortality rate is 90 per 1,000 against 72 Nationally and poorer than Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan. As far as neonatal mortality rate (death of a child before 28 days), with 52 deaths per 1,000 it tops the country that has 39. Though Unicef maintains that high MMR is linked to high neonatal mortality rate, in Orissa high MMR is not the sole factor behind the high neonatal mortality rate. Infections, asphyxia (suffocation) and preterm births are also major factors. The SoWC concludes that lack of proper antenatal care is responsible for the manifestation of these three lethal causes. It says as high as 82 per cent of newborn deaths in India is due to Preterm births (35 pc), infections (24 pc) and asphyxia (23 pc). High level of female illiteracy, poor maternal health care delivery apparatus, no all-weather roads, low per capita expenditure and no decisive role on their own health in the family are also the cardinal factors in MMR. The report has specially highlighted the fact that the need of medical care for the pregnant mothers was decided either by their husbands, mothers or mothers-in-law. It says haemorrhage after delivery is the major cause of high maternal mortality in Orissa followed by eclampsia, sepsis and anaemia. Early marriage too is a contributing factor. As much as 14 per cent mothers in Orissa are in the age group of 15-19 years. Sixty-eight per cent pregnant women in Orissa are anaemic. As high as 54 per cent births are not assisted by any health worker while the institutional deliveries constitute only 39 per cent. Thus, the need of the hour is to tighten the belt and take result-oriented interventions to ensure safe child delivery. Source: Express Buzz 18 February 2009 |