According to medical experts, deliveries under doctor’s care termed as institutional delivery has increased from 19 to 40 per cent, but the maternal mortality rate (MMR) of the state is worst compared to the national level.
India shows the highest rates of newborn mortality in the world and accounts for 29 percent of around 309,000 first day deaths per year.
Taking swift action over this worried scene, Mission Director of Jharkhand National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) Dr Aboobacker Siddique while unveiling Save the Children’s 14 annual report ‘State of World’s Mothers 2013’ on Monday said, “We have directed all our Civil Surgeons to start at least four new delivery points for pregnant ladies in their area between April to June this year. The initiative has started yielding results as the number of institutional delivery points in the state has gone up to 700 from 600 and it will further go up to 1200 by the end of deadline. We are also trying to ensure more caesarean in our institutions. From last year’s figure of 800 caesareans we have already managed to ensure 2200 this year.”
The report reveals that Jharkhand owes high rate of child marriage and anaemia among women which have been pointed as major reasons behind first day death of newborns. As per National Family Health Survey 3 (NFHS 3) Jharkhand records high child marriage as 63 percent girls are married by 18 years of age.
While, anaemia prevails among more than 70 percent married women aged 15 to 49 years. Children between the age group 6 to 35 months are also found suffering with anaemic here. Stunting is also a problem in Jharkhand since 47 percent children below 3 years were found stunted during NFHS 3.
Deputy Director of Department of Health and Family Welfare Dr Ajeet Kumar Prasad informed that the state ranks second after Madhya Pradesh in diseases concerning malnutrition in children.
“We have recently launched a pilot project titled ‘Jeevan Asha Programme’ in Mandar to tackle children suffering with malnutrition. This project will soon be started across the state,” said Dr Prasad.
Districts like Godda, Sahebganj and Pakur record the maximum IMR. State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) Chairperson Rooplaxmi Munda said, “Our commission will soon establish a separate ‘Infant Cell’ to overcome such child death on first day of the first birth week.”
Other speakers comprising State Women Commission member Vasvi Kiro and Advisor to Supreme Court Balram felt the need to focus on the rural areas and deep forests of the state wherein traditional medicines like horropathy can work better in reducing MMR and IMR effectively.