Punjab among worst states in maternal mortality ratio

PATIALA : Punjab is among the three worst-performing states in improving upon the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) since 2015, data that the Centre has released on Thursday, in its Sample Registration System (SRS) bulletin shows.

The results were based on data collected for 2016-18. The report adds that there were only five states, which failed to reduce maternal deaths and recorded increase in maternal mortality ratio, and Punjab stood on number three among these states.

The maternal mortality ratio is the number of maternal deaths every 1 lakh live births. Maternal death is when a woman dies while she is pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy. As per the bulletin, the state has witnessed 5.7% worsening in maternal mortality ratio , while it saw an improvement of 7.3% nationally.

The state has recorded a worsening of seven points from 122 maternal deaths in 2015-17 to 129 maternal deaths in 2016-18. The country’s maternal mortality ratio improved from 122 in 2015-17 to 113 in 2016-2018.

Elaborating on the causes, Dr Daler Singh Multani, former Fazilka civil surgeon, said, “Most pregnant women suffer from anaemia, which leads to their death. The migratory population also affects the statistics of the state, as some health services do not reach them.”

“Sometimes, they don’t approach health care services. Most women from particular sections of society also go to selfmade god-men, rather then hospitals and clinics during their pregnancy period,” the former Fazilka civil surgeon added.

The last time Punjab saw an improvement in reducing maternal deaths, was in 2014-16, when it recorded a maternal mortality ratio of 122 from 141 in 2011-13. However after that, there has been no progress. In fact, Punjab is among those four states, which has recorded minimum improvement in 14 years. The Central report adds that Punjab has recorded an improvement of just 63 points from 192 maternal deaths during 2004-06 to 129 in 2016-18.

Dr Avneet Kaur, director health and family welfare department, said, “The report was just released on Thursday. We do not know about the exact source of its information. We are verifying it with the Centre.”

BIHAR, UP, HARYANA PERFORM BETTER

States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and the neighbouring Haryana performed better than Punjab in reducing maternal deaths during the time period of the study.

Bihar has recorded an improvement of seven points, Uttar Pradesh 19 and Haryana seven points in mother mortality ratio.

RESULTS ARE BASED ON DATA COLLECTED FOR 2016-18; REPORT SAYS THERE ARE ONLY FIVE STATES, WHICH FAILED TO REDUCE MATERNAL DEATHS