29 Nov, Kathmandu: Still there is no let up in the child and maternal mortality rate due to the problem of women delivering at home.
A study on the maternal, child and infant (under one year) mortality and its causes conducted in Dhading, Bhojpur and Sindhupalchok districts found that the infant mortality rate due to the newborn finding difficulty in breathing was 24.95 percent, infection 22.25 percent, pneumonia 10.35 percent and under-weight 4.55 percent.
Although the percentage of the infants born at home and at hospitals was found equal in Dhading, 60.35 percent of the infants in Sindhupalchok and 77.45 percent in Bhojpur were born at home.
Moreover, the study shows that maternal death resulted from post-partum bleeding, high blood pressure and infection.
Among the mothers who died in these districts, 26.35 percent died due to bleeding and 26.35 due to high blood pressure.
The Population and Communicable Diseases Research Centre had carried out the study in 2013, 2014 and 2015, in coordination with the District Health Offices of the three districts.
According to the 2015 study, infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births) was 126 in Dhading, 144 in Sindhupalchok and 222 in Bhojpur. Likewise, the rate below one year (per 1000 live births) was 174 in Dhading, 211 in Sindhupalchok and 293 in Bhojpur.
Member secretary of the Nepal Health Research Council Dr Khem Karki stressed the need for strengthening medical services to be provided after delivery like keeping newborns warm and protecting them from infection and pneumonia.
According to the World Health Organisation, three infants die every two hours after birth in Nepal. RSS
