Reducing maternal and newborn deaths

15 May 2012, 18:00 PM

Mobarak Ali, RK Mission Road, Gopibagh, Dhaka

Photo: STAR

It is appreciable that Bangladesh has improved the situation in the area of maternal and newborn deaths. A report says that infant mortality rate has declined from 85 deaths per 1000 live births in late '80s to 52 deaths per 1000 live births over the period of 2002 to 2006. Another report says that maternal mortality rate has declined from 514 deaths per 100,000 in the mid '80s to 322 deaths per 100,000 in the late '90s. It is said that malnutrition is the major cause of maternal and newborn deaths in our country. Though poverty alleviation is the first step to tackle malnutrition in general, maternal anemia should be addressed particularly as part of tackling malnutrition. Experts say around 45 percent women in Bangladesh suffer from anemia during pregnancy. Because of anemia, women face different types of complications like prolonged labour during delivery. Delivering underweight child, maternal and neonatal death etc. are also the results of anemia. We have learnt from a newspaper report that for improving the situation of maternal anemia in Bangladesh, the government has introduced a programme under which 100 Iron Folic Acid tablets are distributed among the pregnant women. Unfortunately, the tablets are wrapped in normal paper when distributed. These tablets lose their original colour and turn black in contact with air. As a result, many women give up taking those discoloured tablets thinking that they have lost their effectiveness. These tablets can be distributed in bottles or blister packets. Sincere efforts of the authorities can reduce maternal and newborn deaths in the country.