Odisha Ranks 2nd In Maternal Mortality Ratio Decline
OMMCOM NEWS
Bhubaneswar: As per the latest Sample Registration System (SRS) Report for 2015-17, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of the Odisha stands at 168 which has dropped from 235 in 2011-13. Between the two latest survey periods i.e. SRS 2014-2016 to SRS 2015-2017, Odisha has recorded 12 point decline in MMR, which is the 2nd highest in the country after Rajasthan (13 point).
"The achievement was possible due to the focused attention of the State Government towards an accelerated reduction of the MMR, with special provisions under the SAMMPurNA strategy, which has a budgetary allocation of over Rs 300 crore," a senior official of the Health and Family Welfare Department stated.
Towards reducing MMR, the State Government has set up Maternity Waiting Homes to promote institutional delivery. At these centres, expecting mothers from far-flung areas are given cash assistance of Rs 1,000 to encourage them for institutional delivery. Similarly, Rs 500 is offered as assistance to return home post-delivery.
"All government facilities provide free services for institutional delivery including operation cost as well as blood transfusion charges. The focus has been laid on achieving quality certification of labour rooms and maternity OTs which have resulted in positive outcomes," the official added.
These efforts are in addition to the free ambulance services under 102 'Janani Express', incentives under 'Janani Surakhya Yojana' and 'Janani Sishu Surakhya Karyakrama' as well as the 'Mamata' conditional cash transfer scheme. The State has also set up high dependency units at District Headquarters Hospital (DHHs) for management of obstetric emergency and critical conditions.
The latest Sample Registration System (SRS) Bulletin 2016 released on Thursday indicates that India has marked a significant decline of 26.9 per cent reduction in Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) since the year 2013. The aforementioned SRS bulletin was issued from the Office of the Registrar General.
In its earlier 2018 report, WHO had commended India's 'groundbreaking progress' in reducing MMR by a whopping 77 per cent. From 556 per 100,000 live births in the year 1990, this came down to 130 per 100,000 in 2016. The most recent SRS bulletin has now further shed light on the improvements from thereon.