Infant and maternal mortality rates may go down

Expressbuzz, Sept 25, 2008

BHUBANESWAR: As Designed by the health planners to fight infant mortality and maternal mortality rates, the future seems bright for Orissa, if one goes by the recent progress of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).

Following an analysis by the mid-term review team (MRT) from New Delhi, it was learnt that the health care centres across the State had registered an increase in 23 percent more institutional deliveries (IDs) last year and the Janani Surakshya Yojana (JSY) has added 7.44 lakh more beneficiaries to its list.

According to sources at NRHM State Directorate, the IMR target by 2010 is 50 deaths per 1000 live births, whereas currently it is around ‘58’ as claimed by the authorities. However according to the National Family and Health Survey (NFHS-I), it was 112 during 1992-93, 81 during NFHS-II in 1998-99 and 65 during NFHS-III in 2005-06.

ID according to NFHS-I (1992-’93) was only 14 percent and it rose to 39 percent during NFHS-III during 2005-’06. However, the health management information system (HMIS) of the State Health Department has reportedly shown 62 percent of the IDs in 2007-08, a rise of 23 percent in two years corresponding to its previous year data of 46.3 percent.

The betterment of the mother and child health is visible from the fact that as per NFHS-III data 61 percent mothers went for ante-natal checkup and as per HMIS (2007-’08) figure it was around 91.

Total fertility rate (child-bearing capability of a woman) has also come down from 2.9 during NFHS-I to 2.4 during NFHS-III and the target by 2010 is 2.1, mission directorate sources added.

The rise in complete immunisation programme is up 22 percent in 2006 from its previous 52 percent during 2005, whereas the target for 2010 is 85 percent. Also according to the Sample Registration System 1998, the MMR (death per 100,000 live births) was 367 and has come down to 358 in 2003.

Apart from these initiatives, sick newborn care units (SNCUs) are being set up in eight district headquarter hospitals and 25 block hospitals to fight IMR and nutrition rehabilitation centres have started functioning in Mayurbhanj and Kalahandi districts.