The recent deaths of newborns in Kolar’s SNR District Hospital has brought into focus again the worrying trend of high mortality rate among infants (those aged within a year) in the State. The numbers across Karnataka show that the backward districts in north Karnataka continue to witness the highest number of infant deaths.
According to data provided by the Health Department, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Davangere, and Raichur are top five districts with high infant deaths in 2016–17. While 22 districts have reported maximum number of infant deaths in the age group of 29 days to one year, four districts of Kalaburagi, Dharwad, Shivamogga, and Bidar have recorded high number of deaths within three days of the baby’s birth.
High number of newborn deaths (within a day) have been reported in Belagavi, Ballari, and Gadag (282, 151 and 75 respectively), according to the data.
Last year, Karnataka recorded 11,212 infant deaths (within a year of birth), including 1,850 neonatal deaths (within 28 days of birth). But, the death toll could be much higher since more than two-thirds of infant deaths in the State go unreported every year.
Based on the Sample Registration Survey (SRS) 2015 that has recorded infant mortality rate at 28 per 1,000 live births, the State should have reported about 28,000 infant deaths a year. Most of the deaths in private hospitals have not been reported, said department officials. The same holds true for newborns that die while they are being transported from primary healthcare centres to more well-equipped hospitals.
Neonatal mortality in Karnataka, which constitutes 70% of infant deaths, has marginally declined in the last five years. From 25 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2009, it came down to 19 per 1,000 live births in 2015, ranking the State second among the four Southern States (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala) in terms of reduction in neonatal mortality.
Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) Shalini Rajneesh, however, argued that the reduced number of infant deaths (than that projected in the SRS 2015) showed there was a substantial decline in the mortality rate. Attributing the Kolar deaths to congenital anomalies and low birth weight of the babies, she said asphyxiation, infections — especially sepsis — because of lack of hygiene in labour rooms, are the other main causes of deaths.
She said the district surgeons had been asked to report if there was any laxity at field level after analysing each Sick Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) admission. “This would reduce overload on the SNCU and improve quality care,” she said.
Shantaram Baliga, past president of the National Neonatology Forum, said it was necessary for the government to set up neonatal ICUs in all medical college hospitals. “SNCUs should be set up in facilities that have more than 50 deliveries a month and labour operation theatres in such facilities should be well equipped and mother friendly,” he said.
