The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Concern over high infant mortality rate in some districts of Tamil Nadu

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Monday, Aug 18, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Concern over high infant mortality rate in some districts of Tamil Nadu

Ramya Kannan

CHENNAI: Even as the State averages an infant mortality rate (number of deaths per 1000 live births) of 37, well below the national average of 57, the recently released statistics from the Sample Registration Survey (SRS) show that there are pockets in Tamil Nadu where the IMR is as high as 54.

Public health experts have expressed concern about the patchy performance of the State in controlling infant deaths. High IMR in the north western and southern districts of the State going by the SRS data for the survey year 2006 has goaded the government into considering the introduction of certain special schemes for these pockets.

District-level figures were provided for the first time by the SRS, which usually only provides statistics up to the State-level. Western districts, including some notorious for female infanticide and foeticide: Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, The Nilgiris, Coimbatore and Erode have an IMR of 54, close to the national average. In the southern districts of Dindigul, Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari, the IMR is 52. Districts around Chennai including Tiruvallur, Vellore, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai are better at 32.

The best performers are in the east, including the delta districts: Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchi, Pudukottai and Karur with an IMR of 28, bringing down the State average.

“We are concerned about the high IMR in some districts. We are planning intensive campaigns in these areas. This will include IEC activities and infrastructure and staff upgradation at the PHCs in these specific districts,” V.K.Subburaj, Health Secretary told The Hindu.

Two thirds of infant deaths in Tamil Nadu come from the neonatal stage (within 28 days of birth) and half from the perinatal period (within 7 days of birth), Sarada Suresh, director, Institute of Child Health, Egmore, said. These areas required extra focus, she added.

Since Tamil Nadu has achieved nearly 95 per cent institutional deliveries and early neo natal deaths can be attributed to complications during pregnancy, child birth and the period immediately after, improving quality of care in obstetric and institutions and baby-friendly hospitals would be the focus, Satish Kumar, UNICEF State Representative - Tamil Nadu and Kerala, said.

However, Director of Public Health S.Elango said the State’s IMR figures (also for 2006) told another story. The highest IMR was in Dharmapuri, but was 38.6, not 54, he said. The southern districts all had an IMR well within the 20’s limit. He added that special schemes to improve the position would nevertheless be launched in the specific districts.

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