Infant mortality rate in SPSR Nellore district may come down to 5 per 1,000 live births by the end of 2024-25 (April 2024 to March 2025 period) from 7 per 1,000 live births during the previous three years, District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) M. Penchalaiah told The Hindu. He said he has also prepared an action plan to achieve the ambitious Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of zero infant deaths in the district by 2030.
During a recent review meeting on infant mortality in the district, he said there were 14 deaths of infants aged below 11 months in June, July and August 2024. Last year, there were 36 infant deaths during the same three-month period. The number of child and infant deaths has been decreasing from 334 in 2021-22, 260 in 2022-23 and 157 in 2023-24.
In 2024-25 so far, the district witnessed 51 child and infant deaths. The DMHO directed the district health officials to quickly identify pregnant women; provide all types of medical tests and services; encourage delivery in government hospitals; take appropriate care of underweight newborn babies; and give all types of immunisation to the infants.
“Babies born in pre-mature condition and with lower weight, under 2.5 kg, are more likely to die in the first 11 months. Maternal nutritional deficiency is another major reason for infant mortality, particularly in the tribal areas of the district. Identifying these problems, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers are provided with special healthy food at Anganwadi centres,” said Dr. Penchalaiah.
However, he declined the need for birth waiting homes for the pregnant tribal women in the district. “There are only 2 lakh tribal families in the district. Even if we set up such facility in the city, the expectant mothers may not come. ANMs [Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife] regularly monitor the health of the pregnant women every month under Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA),” he added.
Published – September 11, 2024 09:05 pm IST
