Better maternal care, smaller families, and birth spacing contributed to the decline in early childhood mortality, Nurul Islam Hasib reports as demographic and health survey result released Nurul Islam Hasib
Public Health Correspondent
Dhaka, Apr 17 More children in Bangladesh are surviving beyond their fifth birthday thanks to better maternal health care, smaller families, and birth spacing by using contraceptives, says the demographic and health survey.
One of the major highlights of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2011 released on Tuesday in Dhaka is that the under-5 mortality rate has dropped to 53 from 65 per 1,000 births in four years, which means the country is on track of Millennium Development Goal-4.
The mortality rate is now 53 per 1,000 births which was 65 in 2007. The MDG-4 targets to cut the deaths to 48 by 2015.
The mortality rate was more than double (133) in 1993 when the first BDHS, a key source for monitoring, evaluation and preparing strategies for health sector, commenced.
Under-1 mortality rate has also been reduced from 52 per 1,000 births to 43, while deaths of newborns within first month of birth reduced from 37 per 1,000 births in 2007 to 32 in 2011.
However, the deaths within one month of birth account for 60 percent of mortality under five.
Researchers say better maternal health care, smaller families, and birth spacing by using contraceptive methods contributed much to the decline in early childhood mortality.
Confirming the trends shown in 2010 Bangladesh Maternal Mortality Survey, the BDHS indicates that more women are getting assistance of skilled birth attendants while giving birth.
Now, almost one in three pregnant women, 32 percent, is assisted by trained health service providers during delivery while it was 21 percent in 2007.
Paediatricians say more trained birth attendants mean less chance of newborn deaths.
"One-fifth of the newborn deaths occur due to trouble in breathing (asphyxia) at birth," said Dr Khurshid Talukder, a paediatrician.
He said it would be a great challenge for the government to keep newborn deaths low.
"Breastfeeding within one hour of birth can be an option," he said as it gets newborn immune to infections, another major cause of deaths within one month of birth.
However, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University has recently taken up a three-year programme to train up 20,000 birth-time attendants to help babies breathe using a kit called sucker machine, a bag and musk for artificial breathing.
Apart from improving child survival, the latest BDHS also found lower fertility, increasing use of family planning methods and better care for expectant mothers. But malnutrition among children still remains high with little progress in the last four years.
The survey is being carried out every 3 to 4 years since 1993-94. Based on the 2011 findings, the ongoing Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Plan (HPNSDP) targets of ministry of health and family welfare will be evaluated.
Public Health Correspondent Dhaka, Apr 17 More children in Bangladesh are surviving beyond their fifth birthday thanks to better maternal health care, smaller families, and birth spacing by using contraceptives, says the demographic and health survey.
One of the major highlights of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2011 released on Tuesday in Dhaka is that the under-5 mortality rate has dropped to 53 from 65 per 1,000 births in four years, which means the country is on track of Millennium Development Goal-4.
The mortality rate is now 53 per 1,000 births which was 65 in 2007. The MDG-4 targets to cut the deaths to 48 by 2015.
The mortality rate was more than double (133) in 1993 when the first BDHS, a key source for monitoring, evaluation and preparing strategies for health sector, commenced.
Under-1 mortality rate has also been reduced from 52 per 1,000 births to 43, while deaths of newborns within first month of birth reduced from 37 per 1,000 births in 2007 to 32 in 2011.
However, the deaths within one month of birth account for 60 percent of mortality under five.
Researchers say better maternal health care, smaller families, and birth spacing by using contraceptive methods contributed much to the decline in early childhood mortality.
Confirming the trends shown in 2010 Bangladesh Maternal Mortality Survey, the BDHS indicates that more women are getting assistance of skilled birth attendants while giving birth.
Now, almost one in three pregnant women, 32 percent, is assisted by trained health service providers during delivery while it was 21 percent in 2007.
Paediatricians say more trained birth attendants mean less chance of newborn deaths.
"One-fifth of the newborn deaths occur due to trouble in breathing (asphyxia) at birth," said Dr Khurshid Talukder, a paediatrician.
He said it would be a great challenge for the government to keep newborn deaths low.
"Breastfeeding within one hour of birth can be an option," he said as it gets newborn immune to infections, another major cause of deaths within one month of birth.
However, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University has recently taken up a three-year programme to train up 20,000 birth-time attendants to help babies breathe using a kit called sucker machine, a bag and musk for artificial breathing.
Apart from improving child survival, the latest BDHS also found lower fertility, increasing use of family planning methods and better care for expectant mothers. But malnutrition among children still remains high with little progress in the last four years.
The survey is being carried out every 3 to 4 years since 1993-94. Based on the 2011 findings, the ongoing Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Plan (HPNSDP) targets of ministry of health and family welfare will be evaluated.
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