Nagpur: As many as 4,872 infants die every year in Maharashtra and this is a matter of grave concern for the government, health minister Tanaji Sawant told the state assembly here on Friday. "We are seized of the situation and after consultations, decided to set up a committee headed by an additional secretary of the health department to take strict measures to bring down the infant mortality rate," the minister said.
Sawant was responding to a call attention motion moved by BJP MLA Ashish Shelar.
Sawant shares data of newborn deaths
Sharing the shocking information, he told the house that 40 newborns die daily in hospitals in the state. In October 2023, 25 children who were barely one month old had died, of them six succumbed to respiratory problems, Shelar said. He said there was shortage of paediatric and neonatal intensive care units, staff crunch at hospitals and women also suffered from unhygienic conditions causing high mortality of the children.
Seeking the attention of the health ministry, Shelar said there was urgent need to take measures to bring down the infant mortality rate . In his written reply, Sawant said the hospitals in the state were well-equipped to take care of the infants and the newborns. Contending his remark, Shelar asked why so many infants were dying if the health facilities were in order.
Sawant admitted that the matter of infant deaths was very sensitive and so it was decided to the departmental committee headed by additional secretary to study the situation in details and examine all aspects so that steps can be taken to bring down infant mortality
