Maternal, infant mortality rate high in dist

Anantpur: The infant and maternal mortality rates in the district have surpassed that of State and Centre average making a mockery of allocation of crores of funds by the State and Central governments to reduce the mortality rates. This is attributed to nutritional deficiency, absence of proper medical amenities and high-risk pregnant women’s delivery cases.

According to statistics available with the Centre, for every 1,000 births 48 children are dying in the district against 38 at the State-level and 42 at the national- level. Coming to maternal mortality rates, for every one lakh live births 117 mothers are dying in the district, while the State’s average was 98 and national average 114.

According to statistics available with officials, annually an on average 88,000 deliveries are being handled. Last year, the number of deliveries recorded was 76,972. Of them, only 22,063 could avail themselves of ambulance facility to reach hospitals. Rest of them reached hospitals in private vehicles.

During April-September period last year, of the total deliveries only 92 per cent were institutional deliveries. Of which, 47 per cent deliveries were carried out in the government hospitals. Furthermore, 48 per cent of expectant mothers prefer to give birth to children at private hospitals and their homes.

Of the institutional deliveries in the government hospitals, 20 per cent of the deliveries constitute those by high-risk expectant mothers. They need special care from the family and hospital staff. They should be constantly fed with nutritious food and drugs to keep anemia away from them. They should be enrolled in hospitals one week ahead of delivery date.

Supply of nutritious food was not proper, aver the expectant mothers. The Anganwadi activists allege that the nutritious food being supplied to the expectant and lactating mothers and infants was stated to be not good. According to an expectant mother Radhamma belonging to Yalakkuntla village in Kanaganapalle mandal and Anganwadi activist Suseelamma, to some extent medicines and nutritious food are being supplied. Earlier, the supply of medicines and nutritious could not be supplied at full level.

Officials identified that Roddam, Hindupuram, Gooty, Pamidi, Guntakal, Atmakur, Tadipatri, Bommanahal, Bukka-rayasamudram, Peddavaduguru, Garladinne, Kalyanadurgam, Singanamala and Gorantla mandals account maximum maternal and infant mortality rates. However, rulers and officials state that an exclusive action plan to slash the mortality rates are being initiated, but in reality it was not the case.

Civil Supplies Minister Paritala Sunitha said that the State government will take measures to reduce the mortality rates. Joint Collector Lakshmikantam said that efforts will be made to reduce the mortality rates to single digit acting as per the suggestions of United Nations Organisation.

Full scale amenities should be provided at the primary health centres and Area hospitals and the situation should be closely monitored by the higher authorities to bring down the mortality rates.