Hyderabad: Mortality rate of infants still very high despite all existing facilities

Hyderabad: When 1000 babies are born 36.9 of them die on the first day of birth and 60 per 1000 die in the first one week of birth posing a major challenge to health care facilities and paediatricians. The problem is that of the 1000 live births the infant mortality rates continue to be 43 despite all the existing facilities to bring it down.

Dr U.S. Jagdish Chandra, senior consultant paediatrician at 53rd Annual Conference of Indian Academy of Paediatrics explained, “The major challenge is in the first few hours ofbirth and the first one month of birth. This requires proper handling of the baby to avoid infections and sepsis which can be done properly at the hospital and home by increasing the awareness of mothers. Breast feeding in the first hour of birth continues to be only 40 per cent and it is very important that women be counselled in advance to feed the baby mother’s milk only. This will ensure proper nutrition to the baby.”on supplementary foods.”

The clinical analysis has shown that of the 43 per 1000 deaths, 16 are due to pneumonia, 15 are due to sepsis and others are due to various other conditions being breathing problems, preterm deaths and others. Paediatricians state that the present infant mortality rate has to be brought down to 15 per 1000 deaths and to meet the Millennium Development Goals which is a major challenge.