Decline in neo-natal, infant mortality rate in state

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 24

The state has added yet another feather in its cap by bringing down its neo-natal mortality (NNM) rate from 28 to 19 and infant mortality rate (IMR) from 38 to 28 per cent within the last five years span.

The figures achieved by Himachal are far better than the national figure and the NNM and IMR in other states. More than 80 per cent of the infant deaths in Himachal were neo-natal (within the first 28 days of birth) and as such the Health and Family Welfare Department focused on this area and set up newborn care units in every district.

“It is by providing essential newborn care at all district hospitals and having an effective immunisation programme that Himachal has been able to achieve this feat,” said Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare.

It is because of its effective immunisation programme that Himachal became the first state in the country last year to introduce the vaccine for diarrhoea.

“Himachal was the only state in the country which was providing vaccine for nine preventable diseases, including diarrhoea. From May, we will again be the first state to have 10 vaccines when we introduce vaccine for pneumonia,” saiud Dr Mangla Sood, who is looking after Child Health and Immunisation.

She said barring the two districts of Kinnuar and Lahaul-Spiti, all district hospitals had newborn care units, which had trained staff to take care of underweight, premature or infants with problems. “In case of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnuar, most deliveries take place at Kullu and Rampur, which ensures every newborn get extra care and treatment,” Dr Sood said. She added that other steps like skin-to-skin care, early initiation of breastfeeding, vitamin K soon after birth, vaccination before discharge and resuscitation of newborns had helped in bringing about a decline in NNM and IMR.

Though the IMR has come down more than 42 per cent from 49 to 28 per 1,000 births in the last 12 years, it is during the last two years that the improvement has been most impressive. Similarly, as far as the NNM rate is concerned, it has come down by 32 per cent from 28 to 9 within mere four years time.

As far as the IMR is concerned, the positive results have been achieved through interventions across the continuum of care, from pre-pregnancy care through to the post-partum period, underlining the inherent connections between reproductive, maternal, newborn and child healthcare. “The strategic intervention packages range from pre-conception to care beyond survival of a newborn,” Sood added.