Human life and its dignity is the fundamental right of every man, woman and child. To judge a society, one should look at its concern and efforts towards the most vulnerable sections of its community. A newborn child and a pregnant woman are the most vulnerable sections of our society. Child mortality and maternal mortality rate show the harsh reality of today's world, which includes all kinds of progress. Every year, millions of newborn children and pregnant women die due to problems and conditions that can be easily avoided with minimal efforts. Lack of awareness and education is the most common reason for these unnecessary deaths.

First let us understand the base term

Infant Mortality Rate - Death of a child (less than one year) / Birth rate (per 1000)

Maternal Mortality Rate - Death of a mother (less than 42 days) / per 100,000 births

Need for improvement in rural areas

Dr. Uday Pratap Singh, working in the UP government, said that child mortality and maternal mortality rates have decreased significantly in the last few decades, but this rate is still a matter of concern in rural areas, for which a solution will have to be found at all costs. We need a combined approach to reduce the mortality rate of infants and pregnant women by working together with the government. Creating awareness and identifying shortcomings should be the first step.

Early tests are necessary
Early identification of high-risk pregnancy (HRP) along with universal coverage during VHSND sessions is the government's priority right now. We can start work by identifying high-risk cases And can reduce the chances of mortality.

To achieve this objective, VHSND sessions should cover every pregnant woman without any exception. Every case that is missed can lead to disaster. This is important for the woman as well as the baby in the womb because regular checkups, supplements, proper nutrition and medicines are very important for their health.

The biggest challenge

According to Dr. Uday Pratap Singh, what are the biggest problems of this work that the service providers and patients felt.

1. Lack of privacy during the examination of the abdomen of a pregnant woman during the VHSND session. That is, if the examination of women is done in the open, they will feel embarrassed, so proper arrangements are very important.

2. Lack of awareness about nutrition, supplements and medicines. There is a great shortage of dieticians or those who make people aware about medicines in the village.

3. Lack of tools for data collection. Rural areas of India often lack facilities, which makes it difficult to make accurate assessments.

Other major causes of child mortality and maternal mortality.

1. High infection rates because of poor hygiene where deliveries take place.

2. Lack of care with ICU, NICU and super specialist doctors for complex cases.

3. Lack of use of social media and technology to create awareness and education about diet, lifestyle and recognition of danger signs (for emergencies and their management).'

(PC: Zee news)