Welfare schemes pull down infant and maternal mortality rates

Only two cases of dengue deaths since January in district

Efforts to reduce Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in the district appears to have borne fruit, as the district has been witnessing a decline in IMR and MMR rates in the past few years.

According to statistics provided by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, 561 infant deaths were recorded in 2012-13 as against total live births of 40,510 in the district. IMR rates are promising to dip further as only 82 infant deaths have been registered since March 2013. During the period between March and June, a total of 7,204 children were born in the district.

The IMR for the district stood at 13.8 children per 1000 births in the year 2012-13, which is significantly lower than 24.9 deaths per thousand births recorded in the year 2006-07. IMR in Mysore district from the March till June, was even lower than the IMR of 2012-13 and stood at 11.38.

In contrast, IMR for Karnataka was 45 per 1,000 births. The national average was higher at 53 infant deaths per 1,000 births.

Cases of maternal mortality has also seen a decline in the district. While 18 maternal deaths were reported in the district in 2012-13, maternity deaths have been zero in the district since March 2013. MMR for 2012-13 in the district was 42.4 deaths per 1,00,000 births. The figures had peaked in the year 2007-08, during which MMR was 82.

District Health Officer, S M Malegowda said that increase of hospital deliveries in the past few years has contributed to the decline in IMR and MMR.

“Today, following delivery, both baby and mother are kept in the hospital for 48 hours. Janai Suraksha Scheme has ensured free treatment for mother and the baby, in case of any complications.

 In case, they are referred to a higher hospital, they are eligible to receive free treatment under the scheme,” he said.

He added that proper training to nurses at hospitals, along with an increase in awareness among the population has also contributed to the decline.

Dengue delusion

Despite the hue and cry following the ‘outbreak’ of Dengue in D Saalundi village in Mysore taluk, the department has maintained that there has been only two dengue related deaths in Mysore district, since January to June 18, 2013.

Two deaths were also reported in the year 2012.

However, the number of suspected cases of dengue recorded in 2013 was four times the number of suspected cases of 2012.

While there were 229 suspected cases of dengue in 2012, the number since January 2013 was 938. 

Of the cases of suspected dengue fever, 52 patients were diagnosed of the disease in 2013, as against 15 in 2012.