Bhutan aims to achieve zero percent infant mortality rate in the next few years. Infant mortality refers to deaths of child below one year of age. In Bhutan, acute respiratory infection and skin diseases remain the main causes of infant mortality.
Around 15,000 births are recorded on an average every year in the country. Of that, over 400 children die before turning 2. The last national health survey carried out in 2012 recorded an infant mortality rate of 30 per 1,000 live births.
Health ministry is aiming to bring down the rate to zero. Measures are being put in place towards achieving the target. Pema Lethro, the Programme Officer with the Reproductive Health Programme said the national child health strategy developed in 2014 is one of them.
“We have seven priority areas in this strategy and in 2016 Bhutan Newborn Action Plan was developed with the support from UNICEF and WHO. So, these are some of the activities to tackle issues on child and newborn care in the country.”
Also, recently over 112 health professionals in the country were trained on early essential newborn care and kangaroo mother care. It’s a technique of newborn care that involves providing continuous skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby.
Five more pediatricians are undergoing training at the national referral hospital. This will take the number of pediatricians in the country to 10, which is expected to further boost the maternal and child health care.
Premature birth is also a contributing factor and health ministry has chalked out actions plans to tackle the problem.
Efforts to prevent infant mortality in Bhutan began in 1994 with the development of safe motherhood and child survival porgramme.
Establishment of emergency obstetric care centres and introduction of Mother and Child Health book in 2007 are also part of initiatives launched to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates.
The health book keeps track of the health and well-being of mother as well as child from birth until 5 years of age.
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