New Delhi, Aug 24: One woman dies every 7 minutes in the
country due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth,
the government today admitted in the Rajya Sabha.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Health Panabaka Lakshmi
said estimates of the Registrar General of India has revealed that
the maternal mortality ratio for India is 301 per 10,000 live births
which translates into 77,000 per year or one woman dying every seven
minutes.
Both Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal have a maximum MMR of 517,
followed by Assam 490, Rajasthan 445, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh
379, Bihar and Jharkhand have MMR of 371 and Orissa 358, she said.
The reasons for such high level of maternal mortality in the
country was hemorrhage (38 percent), sepsis 11 percent, abortion 8
percent, obstructed labour 5 percent, hypertensive disorders
5 percent and others 34 percent, she added.
The centre has launched the National Rural Health Mission to
increase the access of quality health care including services of
safe motherhood in rural areas. Under NRHM and RCH phase II, one of
the goals was to achieve a reduction in MMR to 100 per 100,000 live
births, she said.
Services are being strengthened through Janani Suraksha Yojna
which promotes institutional delivery for reducing MMR and infant
mortality rate by providing quality maternal care during pregnancy,
delivery period with appropriate referral transport system along
with cash assistance to pregnant women with special focus on BPL
women and SC/ST population. Moreover, ASHAs are being appointed and
a number of other steps being taken to reduce maternal mortality,
she added.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, August 24, 2007, 00:00