Agencies
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Agencies | Published : April 11, 2016 11:11 AM IST
Avoidable maternal and child deaths could be greatly reduced in a generation by investing 4.7 dollars per person yearly, according to some of the world's top maternal and child health experts. From improving pregnancy and delivery care, to treating life-threatening infectious diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea, and malaria, and better childhood nutrition, the three integrated packages of proven interventions focus on a range of health problems that, despite major progress, continue to kill millions of women, newborns, and children every year. Professor Robert Black from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and colleagues used a mathematical model called 'The Lives Saved Tool' to examine the potential impact on deaths and costs of scaling up around 66 key health interventions in 74 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), that together account for more than 95 percent of all mother and child deaths. (Read: 1 million babies die every year within the first 24 hours of their birth)
The authors estimate that satisfying 90 percent of the global unmet need for contraception in the Reproductive Health package could avert 28 million births each year and consequently prevent around 67000 maternal deaths from childbirth, around 910000 newborn and child deaths, and over 560000 stillbirths every year that would have happened at current rates of fertility and mortality. Alternatively, scaling up all interventions in the additional two packages ofMaternaland Newborn Health and Child Health to 90 percent coverage could save 4 million lives every year, equivalent to about half of all the maternal, newborn, and childdeathsworldwide and a third of all stillbirths. Despite the enormity of the problem, say the authors, the cost per person is highly affordable and includes the expense of strengthening health systems and service delivery. (Read: Imagine a world without newborn and maternal deaths)
New estimates produced for this analysis show that all three packages could be immediately scaled up to nearly all people in need with an investment of USD 6.2 billion in low-income countries, USD12.4 billion in lower middle-income countries, and USD 8 billion in upper middle-income countries. This is equivalent to an average investment per person in 2015 of just USD 6.7, USD 4.7 and USD 3.9, respectively and USD 4.7 overall. These costs would increase slightly by 2035, reflecting population increases. Black noted that the analysis clearly shows that not only can the majority of these key services be delivered by health workers in the community or in primary health centres, which can increase access and keep even more mothers andchildren alive and healthy, but that scale-up of capacity is a feasible and highly cost-effective investment. The research appears in the Lancet. (Read: 5 reasons that lead to early infant death)
Source: ANI
Photo source: Getty imageS(Image for representational purpose only)
