the goan I network
PANAJI
Although infant and maternal mortality at the time of childbirth or during pregnancy in Goa is among the lowest in the country and much lower than the national averages, more infants died this year as compared to last year. While infant deaths were a shade higher than last year, the State’s record in maternal deaths at childbirth improved marginally.
According to official statistics furnished by the Goa government’s directorate of health services, 185 infant deaths were reported in 2018-19 as against the 176 reported in the previous 2017-18 year.
However, given that there were nearly 18,000 live birth recorded at government hospitals and the Health Management System (HMIS) in 2018-19, the infant mortality rate per thousand live births of the State stood at a healthy 10.
This infant mortality rate is among the lowest in the country and only Puducherry and Manipur match Goa’s record, and much below the national average which stands at 34, according to Niti Ayog statistics. Records of mothers dying at childbirth show the figures dropped marginally this year.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr Vandana Dhume, disclosed that maternal deaths in 2018-19 were 13. In the previous year (2017-18) 16 mothers had died at childbirth while the figure was as low as 12 in 2016-17.
The figures of maternal deaths include death of a woman while pregnant, at childbirth or within 42 days of legal termination of pregnancy. Goa also ranks among the top performing States on the parameter of
maternal mortality.
