The
Asian Age: Mumbai: Saturday, 02 May 2015.
According to
a recent RTI report, 92,428 perinatal infants have died between 2001-12.
Although the
previous state governments had claimed that they had reduced the malnutrition
level in Maharashtra, thus containing infant death, recent RTI figures state
otherwise. Most of the infant deaths in the state during the perinatal stage
(the period around a baby’s birth) between 2001 and 2012 have been due to the
malnutrition and slow foetal growth.
Out of the
92,428 perinatal infant deaths that have occurred in Maharashtra during the
given period, a total of 49,307 lives were lost to malnutrition, slow foetal
growth and premature birth. According to the figures, on an average, 21 infants
within the perinatal period die per day while 4,108 lives are claimed by
malnutrition every year with the average being seven infant deaths every day.
The number of
perinatal deaths and death due to malnutrition has remained constant over the
decade with over 5,500 infants dying of malnutrition every year from 2001 to
2012. Apart from malnutrition, birth trauma, hemolytic diseases of the foetus,
perinatal jaundice along with other conditions have claimed other lives.
The report
has been furnished by RTI activist Chetan Kothari and has been provided by Dr
Madhukar Pawar, deputy director, health department.
According to
the experts, unawareness, shortage of neo-natal care units, home-based delivery
system, improper nutrition intake and lack of proper transportation facilities
in the state and the ignored infant care system has lead to current number of
infant deaths in Maharashtra. Experts also pointed out that the death ratio is
high for rural areas, which do not have proper facilities for mother-baby care.
Dr Bhupendra
Avasthi, a paediatrician who has worked in Sion Hospital for 25 years, said
that even though medicines in every other field has flourished, infant care
remains the most ignored one in the country. Revenue allotted to neonatal care
is also minimal. The situation is worsened by the ignorance about such matters
among the people.
“Neonatal
care units in the state have not improved. Mostly, mothers carry out deliveries
and baby care at home based on the traditional and out-dated procedures, due to
which many vaccinations and the impeding effect of infections are ignored. Most
of them either contract infections or develop asphyxia,” said Dr Avasthi.
Dr Anant
Phadke of the Jan Aarogya Abhiyan, who has worked for the betterment of health
sector in rural areas, said that extreme poverty, marriage at a young age and
illiteracy are the leading causes for malnutrition.
Dr Girish
Maindarkar, paediatrician from Latur and member of the Medical Council of
India, who has been working to improve infant health in the state, said that
the government has been actively attempting to reduce the number of infant
deaths.
“Most of the
infant deaths occur in rural areas. Maternal malnutrition, unhygienic
conditions, lack of vaccination and neonatal units are adding on to the
numbers. However, over the years the facilities in rural areas have improved
drastically with the help of integrated programmes,” said Dr Maindarkar.
The state
health department is also positive that in the coming years, with the inclusion
of the new integrated system, the numbers will come down eventually.
“Home-based care units along with newborn care units have been installed across
the state in the last six months. Over 50,000 infants were born in the
baby-care units within the same time period and are healthy,” said Dr
Chandrakala Jaiswal, member of Unicef for the state health department. She added,
“We are carrying out campaigns to increase awareness on hypothermia as 98 per
cent of infants suffer from it and eventually die.”
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