Child mortality highest in India

[Neo]

Child mortality highest in India ​

Tuesday, October 16,2007

NEW DELHI: More women die in India during childbirth than anywhere else in the world. Of the 5.36 lakh women who died during pregnancy or after childbirth in 2005 globally, India accounted for 1.17 lakh.

It was followed by Nigeria (59,000), Congo (32,000) and Afghanistan (26,000). India, along with 10 other countries, accounted for almost 65% of global maternal deaths in 2005.

The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in India is 450 deaths per 100,000 live births. In comparison, Congo had an MMR of 740, Nigeria 1,100 and Afghanistan 1,800 per 100,000 births. India’s neighbours are far better off. While Bangladesh reported 21,000 deaths with an MMR of 570, Pakistan recorded 15,000 deaths with MMR of 320, China had 7,800 deaths with MMR of 45 and Nepal 6,500 deaths with MMR of 830 in 2005. Sri Lanka recorded 190 deaths with MMR of 58.

Also, the probability that a girl will die from a complication related to pregnancy and childbirth during her lifetime is 1 in 70, in India.

Poverty, hunger and disease were the three main reasons why 99% of the deaths in 2005 occurred in developing countries. Together, the regions of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia accounted for 86% of the world’s maternal deaths in 2005.

These shocking figures were revealed in the latest Maternal Mortality report. Compiled by the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Bank, the report, published in the ‘Lancet’ on October 12, makes another crucial finding - the world’s MMR is declining too slowly to meet Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5, which aims to reduce the number of women who die in pregnancy and childbirth by three-quarters by 2015.

While an annual decline of 5.5% in MMR between 1990 and 2015 is required to achieve MDG 5, figures released show an annual decline of less than 1%.

‘‘Having a child, the most basic of human joys, continues to be a life threatening proposal for many women around the world. Nearly 20 million unsafe abortions, a major factor in maternal deaths and illness, are done annually,’’ said Nils Daulaire, president of the Global Health Council.

According to an Indian health ministry expert, the recently released NFHS-III findings could explain why maternal mortality is a cause of such shame for India.

‘‘NFHS-III found that women in India lack quality care during pregnancy and childbirth. Almost one in four women (23%), who gave birth in the last eight years, received no antenatal care, ranging from 1% or less in Kerala and Tamil Nadu to 66% in Bihar. At least 40% of pregnant women did not get any antenatal care in Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland,’’ he said.

The quality of antenatal care also needs improvement in India. ‘‘Only 65% of women receiving antenatal care received iron and folic acid supplements, and only 23% took the supplements for at least 90 days. Only 4% of expectant mothers took a deworming drug during pregnancy. Failure to take an iron supplement and deworming drugs increases the risk of anaemia, a major problem for mothers and children in India,’’ an expert said.

Home births are still common in India - accounting for almost 60% of recent births. NFHS-III found that 37% of deliveries were assisted by a traditional birth attendant, and 16% were delivered by a relative or other untrained person.

South Asian Media Net

 

[Neo]

I'm surprised to hear this troubling news, somehow I was under the impression the healthcare in India was much better than the rest of the Subcontinent.

 

[Flintlock]

Healthcare in India is "diverse" just like everything else.
The population ranging from lower middle class to the very rich get good healthcare, but the population below poverty line often gets little or no healthcare at all.

Southern and western, north-western states are better off, with Kerela leading in most statistics.
States like UP, MP, Bihar tend to have the worst statistics. Parts of Maharashtra too have abysmal conditions.

 

[Spring Onion]

The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in India is 450 deaths per 100,000 live births. In comparison, Congo had an MMR of 740, Nigeria 1,100 and Afghanistan 1,800 per 100,000 births. India’s neighbours are far better off. While Bangladesh reported 21,000 deaths with an MMR of 570, Pakistan recorded 15,000 deaths with MMR of 320, China had 7,800 deaths with MMR of 45 and Nepal 6,500 deaths with MMR of 830 in 2005. Sri Lanka recorded 190 deaths with MMR of 58.
​

i was reading the news last night and i was wondering to post and asked about the above passage as i am confused about the above statistics and ration shown there.

Can anyone explain ??​

 

[Flintlock]

i was reading the news last night and i was wondering to post and asked about the above passage as i am confused about the above statistics and ration shown there.

Can anyone explain ??

Hmm...the statistic seem a bit mixed up. India's neighbours are definitely not "much better off".

Also Sri Lanka's deaths seem too few!!

 

[Spring Onion]

Hmm...the statistic seem a bit mixed up. India's neighbours are definitely not "much better off".

Also Sri Lanka's deaths seem too few!!

lolz Stealth i think the figures have been mixed up or i think we failed to understand as by looking at that passage its realy confusing who is on top in mortality rate .

So ANYONE Can help here ?????

But for that i think ihave a better information by standard organization about the mortality rate in low incoming nations in South Asia

 

[Neo]

lolz Stealth i think the figures have been mixed up or i think we failed to understand as by looking at that passage its realy confusing who is on top in mortality rate .

So ANYONE Can help here ?????

But for that i think ihave a better information by standard organization about the mortality rate in low incoming nations in South Asia

The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in India is 450 deaths per 100,000 live births. In comparison, Congo had an MMR of 740, Nigeria 1,100 and Afghanistan 1,800 per 100,000 births. India’s neighbours are far better off. While Bangladesh reported 21,000 deaths with an MMR of 570, Pakistan recorded 15,000 deaths with MMR of 320, China had 7,800 deaths with MMR of 45 and Nepal 6,500 deaths with MMR of 830 in 2005. Sri Lanka recorded 190 deaths with MMR of 58.

Jana Jee, I too had to read it a couple of times and do the recalculation to understand the poor reporting. China has the lowest MMR, i.e. 45 reported deaths per 100.000 live births followed by Srilanka (58), Pakistan (320), India (450) and Nepal (830). Aghanistan is worse off with MMR of 1.800!!

Low MMR in Srilanka (190 deaths per 100.000 babies born or MMR of 58) is correct due smaller population and lower poverty rate compared to India or Pakistan.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Actually, the statistics is but an aide mémoire.

What is important for all is to ensure that there is rural health and family welfare 'watchdogs' who constantly monitor the rural health and ensure that all medical procedures are gone through so as to bring the infant mortality rate to the unavoidable.

And of course there should be clinics in each village with a rural hospital within a reasonable turnaround distance with ambulance facilities for emergencies.

 

[Spring Onion]

Jana Jee, I too had to read it a couple of times and do the recalculation to understand the poor reporting. China has the lowest MMR, i.e. 45 reported deaths per 100.000 live births followed by Srilanka (58), Pakistan (320), India (450) and Nepal (830). Aghanistan is worse off with MMR of 1.800!!

Low MMR in Srilanka (190 deaths per 100.000 babies born or MMR of 58) is correct due smaller population and lower poverty rate compared to India or Pakistan.

Thank you NEO i was realy confused but indeed it was poor reporting.

Actually, the statistics is but an aide mémoire.
What is important for all is to ensure that there is rural health and family welfare 'watchdogs' who constantly monitor the rural health and ensure that all medical procedures are gone through so as to bring the infant mortality rate to the unavoidable.

And of course there should be clinics in each village with a rural hospital within a reasonable turnaround distance with ambulance facilities for emergencies.

Yes Sir i agree this is our responsibility to make these watchdogs to be responsible and monitor things regularly but sorry to say sir in Asian countries specially in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan there is no such effective monitering specially in the health sector.

 

[Bull]

I'm surprised to hear this troubling news, somehow I was under the impression the healthcare in India was much better than the rest of the Subcontinent.

Before coming to the topic in hand, the article speaks of MMR while the topic says CMR.

But then it doesnt matter, both would be high. Though you would find patches of good health care system (like in kerala) in places like UP,Bijar where large masses stay its at bare minimum. The biggest challenge that India poses is the vast population. Building up medical centre panning this huge area requires lots of money, then you need doctors and nurses to fill in the posts, that mean colleges that chrun out doctors and nurses in such high number which again needs money.

 

[blain2]

Actually, the statistics is but an aide mémoire.

What is important for all is to ensure that there is rural health and family welfare 'watchdogs' who constantly monitor the rural health and ensure that all medical procedures are gone through so as to bring the infant mortality rate to the unavoidable.

And of course there should be clinics in each village with a rural hospital within a reasonable turnaround distance with ambulance facilities for emergencies.

The need for village clinics is dire. Back in 86 or so, a report came out in Pakistan (maybe by Mahboob-ul-Haq foundation) that did a comparison of the cost of health care in such areas and one interesting tidbit they inserted in it was that for the cost of 1 F-16 aircraft, 30,000 such clinics/dispensaries could be set up in Pakistani villages.

Go figure!

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

That is why I say PEACE!

And that applies to India also!

 

[RISING SUN]

I'm surprised to hear this troubling news, somehow I was under the impression the healthcare in India was much better than the rest of the Subcontinent.

That was true earlier and now also, however earlier it was limited to top tier cities, now expanded to tier 2,3,4 and towns as well. Villages are yet to get that benefits but it will happen due to continuous focus on medical and other supporting missions. All current investments will pay off in near term. Please refer to more details given below.
India’s child mortality rates declining: Lancet
India’s child mortality rate has always been a cause for concern, but a recent study published in the medical journal Lancet suggests that the situation may be changing for the better.

The study shows a significant decline in cause-specific child mortality rates between 2000 and 2015 in the country. The faster declines in child mortality after 2005 (average annual decline of 3.4% for neonatal mortality and 5.9% for 1 to 59-month mortality) suggest that the country has avoided about one million more child deaths compared to the rates of progress in 2000–2005.

Premature births

However, on a sobering note, in the same period, deaths due to premature births or low birth weight rose from 12.3 per 1000 live births in 2000 to 14.3 per 1000 live births in 2015. The increase was driven mostly by more term births with low birth weight in poorer States and rural areas.

The Million Death Study titled “Changes in cause-specific neonatal and 1–59 month child mortality in India from 2000 to 2015: a nationally representative survey’ was published online by the Lancet on September 19. The survey was led by Prof. Prabhat Jha from the Centre for Global Health Research at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

Best performers

Taking note of the progress in three States during this period, the study says that “if all states of India had achieved the declines seen in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, nearly all States of India would have met the 2015 Millennium Development Goals.”

India’s child mortality rate per thousand live births has fallen by 62% from 125 per thousand live births in 1990 to 47 per thousand live births in 2015. This is slightly less than the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of a 66% reduction.

Interpreting the outcome, the Lancet report said: “To meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals for child mortality, India will need to maintain the current trajectory of 1–59-month mortality and accelerate declines in neonatal mortality (to >5% annually) from 2015 onwards. Continued progress in reduction of child mortality due to pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, and measles at 1–59 months is feasible. Additional attention to low birth weight is required.”

The study tracking 52,252 deaths in neonates and 42,057 deaths at 1–59 months has been funded by National Institutes of Health, Disease Control Priorities Network, Maternal and Child Epidemiology Estimation Group, and the University of Toronto.
http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/he...ty-rates-declining-lancet/article19743550.ece