67 per cent maternal deaths occur within one week of delivery in the KBK region

High maternal, child mortality deterrent to fulfilment of MDG
The Pioneer, June 29, 2009
PNS | Bhubaneswar

With about 7,50,000 women in the State delivering per year, around 2,500 maternal deaths every year out of which , maternal and child health issues in the State attract attention of not only the policy makers in the country but also international players.

High MMR (358/100000 LB) and IMR (65/1000 LB) puts greater challenges towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG). With only 53 point reduction in MMR within a span of seven years, to achieve the targeted MDG by 2015 seems a distant dream.

Ambitious national rural health programme launched in 2005 envisages articulated changes in the maternal and health services focusing on reduction of MMR (up to 250/100000 LB) and IMR (upto 50/1000 live births) by 2010. But, mere institutional delivery will not help in reducing MMR and IMR unless the facilities are well equipped to provide quality maternal, newborn and child health services along with a truly accountable health service delivery system.

Deliver Now for Women+Children, a global campaign piloted in 12 districts of the State, with the objective to generate community demand for quality maternal and child health services disseminating existing entitlements, create political will for a greater accountable health service delivery system and working closely with media and civil society organisations for monitoring maternal child health services. The aim of the campaign is to supplement the Government efforts for the reduction of MMR and IMR in the State. The campaign was launched on April 11, 2008 by the then Minister of Health & Family Welfare Sanatan Bisi.

The State chapter, White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, India (WRAI) in collaboration with the Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) and its partners across the State organised activities like capacity building of 370 civil society organisations on advocacy and social mobilisation, public hearings in 12 districts mobilising 11,000 (approximately) women on safe motherhood, use of checklists in 204 community and subcentres and 12 district hospitals, media sensitisation in 30 districts mobilising 462 media representatives and exposure visits for two teams of media enabling them to grasp the ground realities on maternal and child health services in the State.

The State was also chosen as the site for a pilot media campaign by Development Media International with five television and 10 radio spots for broadcasting five life saving messages for mother and child care services because of its high rate of maternal and child mortality.