Child mortality up in Karnataka after slump during Covid years | Bengaluru News – Times of India

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BENGALURU : Child mortality in the state seems to be on the rise this year after a dip over the last two pandemichit years.
In the first six months of this financial year, the number of child deaths has already exceeded 5,000, and if one assumes the same rate for the rest of the year, it might cross 10,000.

Child mortality up in K’taka after slump during Covid yrs

According to data in the health management information system of the health department, the state reported deaths of 5,167 children below the age of 5 between April 1 and September 30. Of these, 3,648 were babies aged up to one month.
The number of child deaths (up to the age of five) was 9,120 in 2020-21 and 9,050 in 2021-22. In the three years before the two pandemic years, the state saw a higher number of deaths — more than 11,000 children below 5 years in two years and over 13,000 in one year.
Health activist Akhila Vasan, however, questioned the dip in the number of deaths during the Covid years, pointing out that immunisation itself had fallen and thenumber of malnourished children had increased.
She said a lot of human resources were diverted to pandemic-related duties, and referral and maternity hospitals were converted into Covid hospitals, causing hurdles in accessing hospitals. There were cases of pregnant women delivering at home in the course of which some lost their children. “Antenatal and all infant care activities had come to a grinding halt for more than eight months. While the process of restarting was slow, it was also the time when anganwadis were closed and a lot of complaints came in about parents not receiving take-home rations from such centres,” she said.
According to Vasan, another blow to the public healthcare system is NITI Aayog’s push to hand over district hospitals to a conglomerate of private entities.
As per the Sample Registration System 2020 Survey Data, Karnataka, of the 1,000 children under the age of five, 21 had died. This is higher than Kerala which is at a single digit (a standard to aspire for) 8, and Tamil Nadu at 13. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have registered 27 and 23 deaths, respectively, which is higher than Karnataka. All South Indian states are below the national average of 32.
Public health expert Dr Sylvia Karpagam pointed out that in the recent past, mothers were hardly given 25 eggs under the Matrapoorna scheme. “The heightweight screening of pregnant women and children was also affected. With these, the incidence of anemia and malnutrition was expected to go up, which in turn can cause small gestational age (less than 2. 5kg at birth), acause for death among neo-natal children. Besides, many are vulnerable to respiratory and diarrhoeal disease which is the biggest cause of mortality among infants,” she said.
Deputy director of child health Dr Basavaraj Dabadi said in order to develop more local strategies to counter child deaths, the robustness of reporting has improved. The deaths could be due to geographical, and socio-cultural issues among other factors, but the department would need micro-level data for intervention, and hence, the reportage is being strengthened, he added.
He said measures have been taken to enhance home-based neonatal care after mothers return home after delivery. At present, it is restricted to 1. 5 months and this year, the department is looking to increase it to 1. 5 years and call it home-based young childcare.

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