At least one infant died every day in Odisha within six months of their birth last fiscal year (2016-17). Infant mortality still haunts the State acutely as the share of infant deaths due to sepsis, pneumonia, fever and other causes like anaemia, malaria, etc., has witnessed a rise in 2016-17 via-a-vis the year 2015-16.
According to the data available with the State Health Department and accessed by The Pioneer, a whopping over 12,000 infants in Odisha died in 2016-17. However, the estimated infant deaths in the State in 2016-17 were pegged at around 27,000 as the total reported live births were only around 97 per cent of the total reported births in 2016-17.
Though in absolute number, the total infant deaths in 2016-17 were marginally down vis-a-vis 2015-16, the data reveal how more than 6,500 infants died due anaemic condition inherited from mother or malaria, which according to health officials, is totally preventable but have shown a rise in 2016-17. Similarly, a total of nearly 1,600 babies died either due to pneumonia or sepsis. The death burden of pneumonia and sepsis on infants has also posted an increase in 2016-17.
Among two single-most biggest causes behind infant mortality in Odisha are low birth weight (lBW) and asphyxia, the data reveal.
Throwing spotlight on how poor nutrition scenario in Odisha is playing havoc with the newborns, the significant revelation is that another over 2,100 babies in the State have died due to lBW despite the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) in force for expectant and lactating mothers under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).
The alarming fact is nearly 61 per cent of infant deaths happened within four weeks of birth while about 9 per cent died within 24 hours of birth. The Health Department has observed that the causes behind the deaths are mostly anaemia, lBW and asphyxia. And the department is formulating a joint strategy with the Women and Children Development Department to address the problem of deaths due to nutritional challenges, observed a top official in the department.
As per the Sample Registration System (SRS) 2015 released recently, the infant mortality rate (IMR) in Odisha has been estimated at 46, which is an improvement of a mere 3 points vis-a-vis year 2014. Odisha has been ranked third from the bottom, and almost all neighbouring States like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh are ranked far higher than Odisha in the 2015 IMR.
However, an analysis of the IMR trend in the last decade (2005-15) reveals that the IMR nationally has recorded a drop by over 36 per cent to touch 37 in 2015 from 58 in 2005 whereas Odisha saw a drop in IMR by around 39 per cent to 46 in 2015 from 75 in 2005.