India accounts for 20 p c maternal, infant deaths: Ganguly

Vijayawada, Feb 28 (UNI) Indian Council of Medical Research Director-General Prof N K Ganguly today said the country accounted for more than 20 per cent maternal and infant deaths.

Speaking at the XI annual convocation of Dr NTR University of Health Sciences (NUHS) here, he said the present infant mortality rate in India was 62 per 1000 live births, while neonatal mortality (infant deaths within the first 28 days) accounted for 40 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Detailed studies on neonatal mortality revealed that nearly 40 per cent occurred on the first day and 73 per cent within the first week of life, Prof Ganguly said.

Though every five minutes one maternal death was reported, there was hardly any discussion on the subject or lessons learnt from the deaths, he opined.

He pointed out that 47 per cent of maternal deaths in rural parts of the country were caused by excessive bleeding and anaemia resulting from poor nutritional practices.

Stating that HIV/AIDS was becoming progressively more among poor in less developed countries, Prof Ganguly said poverty and gender discrimination were both linked to the spread of HIV/AIDS.

He said the health and education sectors could work together to develop prevention programmes in schools and colleges to enhance awareness on gender inequity.

UNI