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| UN project to check maternal mortality rate |
| BS Reporter / Chennai/ Dharwad Aug 27, 2010, 00:31 IST |
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Millennium Development Goals (MGD), a project of the UN, is being implemented in 158 nations. The project aims to improve maternal health to curb maternal mortality rate.
President of the Family Planning Association of India’s (FPAI) Dharwad unit Dr Madanmohan Tavergeri said here maternal mortality rate is on the rise in India and according to estimates by UN agencies, occurrence of a maternal death is 41 times more likely in India than in the USA and 10 times more than in China.
Hence, the project to improve maternal health has been implemented in India in association with the FPAI and health department, he explained.
Citing reasons for maternal mortality, Dr Tavergeri said, two-thirds of maternal deaths are on account of five causes: haemorrhage, sepsis, hypertensive disorder, abortion and obstructed labour. He said, most deaths are preventable by ensuring access to skilled providers during delivery and immediate post partum period and timely management of life threatening complications. Simultaneously, community level action should promote utilisation of services from skilled providers and identified emergency obstetric care facilities.
He said, early marriages, short birth intervals often lead to complications. Moreover, a high number of children and low levels of education among females are also major factors contributing to the above cause.
Dr Tavergeri regretted that most women in rural areas do not give birth in hospitals. This increases the risk of maternal mortality. However, under the project, the FPAI and the Health Department have been organising awareness programmes in every village of the district and urging pregnant women to get admitted to a hospital for delivery.
Referring to unsafe abortions, he said, nearly 90 per cent of abortions in India are done under unsafe conditions. The FPA has been organising weekend training programmes for both government and private medical practitioners on safe abortion methods.
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