Dharmapuri Vidyasagar, emeritus professor and neonatologist, Illinois School of Medicine, USA, stressed on the need for launching more awareness programmes in rural areas to reduce mother and infant mortality rates in the country.
Mr. Vidyasagar was in the town to participate in the International Update on Perinatology and Paediatrics-2014 organised by Prathima Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Talking to The Hindu on Sunday, he said that mother and infant mortality rates were higher in the country.
Quoting statistics, he said in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, mother morality rate (MMR) was 40 for every 1,000 deliveries and infant mortality rate (IMR) was 25 for every 1,000 babies. To reduce the MMR and IMR, the government should first strengthen the Primary Health Centres (PHC) by equipping them with adequate staff and machinery, he opined.
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Mr. Vidyasagar, who also hails from Karimnagar district, has been living abroad since 1963 and involved in research activities in the field of neonatology. He said the MMR and IMR could be reduced if the patient arrives at the hospital a little early so that the doctors can provide proper medicare and depending on the seriousness of the case, they could refer it to the district headquarters or super speciality hospital. The MMR was high because of hypertension and diabetes among mothers, he said adding that pre-mature babies should be kept in neonatal intensive care units with ventilators and monitors.
With regard to the prevailing cold wave conditions in the region, he suggested parents to keep the newborns warm. A mother should provide skin-to-skin warmth to the child, he added.
He also said that the conduct of international seminar on mother and foetal health would be of more use to the local doctors to update their skills.
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