Lockdown Impact: Infant Mortality on The Rise?

Lockdown Impact: Infant Mortality on The Rise?

Context:

  • Recently, a report stated that more than 12,500 infants have died during the lockdown.
  • Mumbai had the highest mortality rate among the other districts in Maharashtra.

Background:

  • The lockdown had impacted adversely with respect to having access to the health care facilities for the past year.
  • Infants, who need immediate and urgent medical care, in most cases have been deprived of medical facilities.

Issues:

  • The ratio of the doctor to patients in India is abysmally low.
  • During the pandemic, most doctors were occupied or prioritized dealing with Covid.
  • Availability of life-saving equipment plays a big role in defining the life or death moment for a newborn. 
  • The early age of pregnancy plays a major role in the issue.

Way Ahead:

  • Infrastructure & Systemic Changes in the health structure are a must.
  • Equitable access to health care, the penetration among the poor should be the aim.
  • Political will and making sure to make available funds in a timely manner could help deal with red-tapism. 
  • Poshan scheme and Ayushman Bharat could be integrated with the help of the individual states in including the larger mass.
Facts:

  • The number of fatalities of children under one year of age per 1000 births are defined as IMR.
  • The current IMR in India stands at 28 casualties.
  • This is a part of the Sustainable development goal.

(The Hindu)

[download id=”37495″]

No Comments

Post A Comment