Although the country has achieved a marked success in reducing the under-five child mortality, still there exists economic and regional disparities in this regard, speakers told a programme here on Sunday.
Addressing the launching ceremony of the government’s action plan to reduce under-five mortality rate to 20 per 1,000 births by 2035, they recommended health interventions focused on ensuring the equity, particularly reaching the hard to reach places with services, to enable the country to end most of the preventable child deaths by the time.
The programme was organised by the Health Ministry at a city hotel to declare 11 interventions and six support programmes under the action plan which was pledged by the government along with 175 other countries as ‘A Promise Renewed for Child Survival’ in Washington in June, 2012.
In his keynote presentation, Primary Health Care (PHC) director Syed Abu Jafar M Musa noted that compared to the commendable progress in reducing the under-five mortality in the country over the last two decades, the rich-poor, the urban-rural and the regional disparities in terms of the under-five mortality have only been reduced at a modest rate.
The under-five mortality among the poorest has been 73 percent higher than it has been among the richest between 2007 and 2011, he said.
During the same period, the rural areas endured 10 percent higher under-five mortality compared to that of urban areas, he added.
Musa also pointed out that there are some striking disparities between some regions in the regard.
From 2007-2011, the prevalence of under-five mortality in Sylhet division has been 78 percent higher compared to that of Khulna division, he said.
Prime Minister’s Adviser for Health and Family Welfare Prof Syed Modasser Ali said it is not the know-how that the country lacks for preventing under five mortality, but the knowledge of how to implement the know how more effectively, and with a focus on ensuring equity.
Noting that 60 percent of the under-five mortality is observed during the first 28 days, he said the neonatal mortality can greatly be reduced by ensuring ‘safe deliveries’.
In his address as the chief guest, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque read out a declaration on the action plan, ‘Ending Preventable Child Deaths by 2015: Bangladesh Call for Action’.
Among the newborn-specific interventions, there are: application of chlorhenxidine in the umbilical cord, introduction of antenatal steroid for premature labour, introduction of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for premature and low birth weight infants.
Presided over by Health Secretary MM Neazuddin, the programme was also addressed by US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena, World Bank acting country director in Bangladesh Christine E Kimes and Unicef Bangladesh country representative Pascal Villeneuve.
Source: UNBConnect