While the maternal and infant mortality rates in Meghalaya have showed a positive decline in five years, the state’s IMR target of 150/100000 live births (2014) to be achieved by 2017 had not been achieved even by 2019.
As per the CAG report, the State’s MMR at 197 continues to be higher than the all India MMR of 113 for 2016-18.
During 2014-19, the average IMR of Tura MCH and Jowai CH with 72 and 36 per 1000 live births was much higher than the State average of 28 per 1000 live births. In Tura, IMR had gone up to 78 in 2018-19.
The report said that neonatal deaths was the main contributor to the State’s IMR while antenatal care (ANC) coverage was also poor as 67 per cent pregnant women did not register within the first trimester.
Further, the trend of registration for ANC during the first trimester has declined from 32.2 per cent in 2014-15 to 31.0 per cent in 2018-19, the report said.
The report also found that there is also a huge mismatch of figures (667,464) between pregnant women registered and the deliveries (428,917) in the State could not be convincingly explained/addressed by the State.
A review of only nine sampled types of essential equipment for Labour Ward, Neonatal and Special New born Care Unit (SNCU) revealed that the test checked hospitals did not have all the essential equipment such as incubators, foetal Doppler and vacuum extractors, required for child deliveries and care of new born babies. None of the test-checked DHs had achieved 100 per cent immunisation of the four Zero day vaccines.
While concerted efforts may be made to reduce the IMR to the target of 150/100000 live births set by the State government the CAG said this can be achieved to a great extent by providing adequate and timely ANC and PNC to all pregnant women.
It also recommended the State government to ensure achievement of 100 per cent institutional delivery to improve its MMR, immunisation of all new born babies, equip hospitals and address pregnancy outcomes of stillbirths and neo natal deaths by more positive measures including awareness/communication campaigns.
