Tamil Nadu’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) had surged to 90 per one lakh live births during 2021-2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and dropped to 52 per one lakh live births during 2022-2023.
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Health Minister Ma. Subramanian gave out this data at an event to mark the collaboration between the State’s Directorate of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine with Singapore Health Services and Singapore International Foundation (SIF), for imparting training on combined obstetric resuscitation emergencies and enhancing maternal and child health services in Tamil Nadu on Thursday.
The Minister said every year, nearly 10 lakh pregnancies were recorded in the State. Improvements in infrastructure and healthcare services enabled the drop in MMR.
Health officials explained that T.N.’s MMR had surged in 2021-2022 due to COVID-19. There were more or less the same number of live births during 2021-2022 and 2022-2023—about 9.20 lakh.
In 2021–2022, of 827 maternal deaths, 250 were due to COVID-19 . The rise was primarily because of second wave of COVID-19. The number of maternal deaths recorded during 2022-2023 was 479, as COVID-19 cases came under control, officials explained.
The Minister said that the collaboration was aimed at further reducing maternal and newborn deaths in the State. Singapore had a MMR of 10 per one lakh live births. Their training methodologies and treatment modalities would be beneficial. Under this collaboration, Tamil Nadu doctors and nurses were being trained in emergency obstetrics and newborn resuscitation.
Edgar Pang, Consul General of the Republic of Singapore in Chennai; Vijaya Rao, director, Singapore Health Services; and Shephali Tagore, senior consultant, KK Women’s and Children Hospital, Singapore, were present. T.S. Selvavinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, was also present.
Dengue cases
Mr. Subramanian said that dengue cases were under control in the State. Till date, the State has reported 4,703 cases. A total of 420 people were currently undergoing treatment in hospitals.
Medical colleges in every district
In 2011, former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi announced that there should be one medical college in every district. As of now, there are 36 government medical colleges. Six districts, including newly created ones, do not have medical colleges.
The National Medical Commission’s (NMC) recent notification has brought in certain restrictions on the opening of new medical colleges. The State has already put forward the need to establish new medical colleges in Mayiladuthurai, Tenkasi, Perambalur, Ranipet, Tirupattur, and Kancheepuram.
“The Health Secretary is in New Delhi for a budget discussion. He will meet the Union Health Minister or the secretary about our previous demand as well as the NMC’s stand,” he told reporters.
Officials of the DPH, P. Vadivelan, A. Somasundaram, C. Sekar, J. Nirmalson, and V.K. Palani, principal of the Health and Family Welfare Training Centre, were present.
