High child mortality and the need to do more about it

THE child mortality rate in Bangladesh is still high and we wonder why it is so high despite the government claim of breakthrough in child health care in the country. Lancet – the UK based Public Health and Medicare periodical in a report circulated to media on November 10 said child mortality in Bangladesh last year stood at over 1.19 lakh and premature birth stands on top of it. The number is hefty and particularly the poor ones are failing to make sure the safety of their newborn through infant years with due health care and supply of essential nutrition. It is our failure as a nation.

The bad news is that Bangladesh is one of those 10 countries in the World with highest child mortality up to 5 years of age. Death from premature birth, pneumonia, complications during birth from by skeptics and meningitis are some major causes of the death. The menace of diarrhea has declined but still it accounts for 6 percent death.

The report in the global health bulletin is quite alarming at a time when Bangladesh’s success in tackling mothers and infants’ mortality is drawing international appreciation under the UN supervised Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). But we must say impressive reports are not enough if the development is not enough visible in the ground. We know that grabbing, corruption and misuse of health budget is high in the country and the success can’t be measured just by development spending. In our view we must take the findings of the report seriously to review why our health sector spending is not attaining success in significantly reducing infant mortality.

Experts’ recommendations bear significance here as they have laid emphasis on regular breastfeeding and vaccination of children against pneumonia, malaria, diarrhoea along with improving supply of pure water and sanitation. Access to clean water and sanitation is key to prevent infant death. It requires public awareness about how to treat pregnant mother, provide them with improved food and care and how to rear children after birth. Such awareness is still at low in poor families where the death rate is high. Rich and educated families in cities are better equipped how to treat mothers and children through infant years.

It is important the government and NGOs must take the issue seriously to reach infant care counsel and services to families particularly in rural areas to bring down infants’ mortality rate. They must run public awareness campaign as to what endanger infants’ life and how they can be saved. Rural hospitals, clinics and health volunteers must be better trained and the government must prove above all it is capable to reach the health services to the doorsteps of the poor.