DNA India
27 August 2010
By Pandurang Mhaske
Mumbai, India

Better medical facilities andaid provided by the civic body have had no effect on the number of maternity and neo–natal deaths in the city, as the numbers have risen again.

According to the civic health department’s report, 5,866 foetuses succumbed in the last year and the number of maternal deaths correspondingly increased.

"Despite the availability of advanced technology in the medical field, the number of maternal deaths has gone up. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, like declining expertise in the field and the absence of ICUs and blood banks at smaller, private nursing homes. This leaves complicated, emergency cases at the mercy of civic or government hospitals, and by the time the patient reaches there, the case already has worsened, leading to death," said Dr GT Ambe, chief civic executive medical health officer.

Though the number of infant deaths has gone down to 5,866 from 6,469 in the last five years, the number of maternal deaths has risen to 148 from 61 in the last three years.

"Infant deaths are now in control and have declined," Ambe said.

"The BMC had appointed a maternal death control committee in 2008 after the state government’s directives. The committee collects information and investigates the deaths, analysing them and trying to find the actual reason for death. The committee then recommends corrective measures," he added.

The BMC runs 182 primary health centres, 163 dispensaries, 26 maternity homes and 23 post–maternity centres within city limits.

There are 16 general hospitals and three medical colleges with the best services in the fields of reproduction and child health care.

The civic body also implements pre–maternal check–ups and immunisation of pregnant women in all its dispensaries and primary health centres.