8,862 infant deaths reported in state from January to July

Sat Singh

Tribune News Service

Bhiwani, October 19

The infant and mother death rates continue to shame Haryana with 8,862 newborn deaths registered since July 31.

The data is based on the Maternal Infant Death Reporting System (MIDRS) tabled before Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar recently at Chandigarh to chalk out strategies to extend the reach of medical services to every corner of the state.

Mewat district gains the dubious distinction of topping the chart with 841 infant deaths.

Hisar district, which has a huge number of government and private hospitals, stands second with 621 deaths, followed by Bhiwani at 619 deaths.

Faridabad district registered 617 deaths and Karnal 570. Panchkula recorded the lowest infant deaths at 112, while Ambala has the second least number of deaths of 242 from January to July this year.

In mother deaths from Apil to July, Bhiwani and Karnal districts registered 16 deaths in each. Mewat district registered 17 deaths, Faridabad 13 deaths, Gurgaon 12 and Narnaul two.

The Health Department has attributed the loss of maternal deaths to several reasons, chiefly anaemia, haemorrhage, eclampsia and PIH, sepsis etc.

Bhiwani Chief Medical Officer Dr Randeep Poonia said the Health Department was serious about the issue and had planned to arrest the cause of child-maternal death at the PHC level.

“In majority of cases, anaemia is the chief reason for these deaths. Our department also holds an anaemia week to administer dosage of iron pills to women,” he said.

Dr Dinesh Khosla, a paediatrician, said 22 per cent of the neo-natal deaths could be curbed just by proper breast-feeding after delivery.