MMR skyrocketing in Balochistan

The Baloch Hal News

QUETTA: The maternal mortality rate has increased alarmingly as more than a thousand out of 100,000 women die every year due to pregnancy related causes in Balochistan. The ratio of such deaths has been recorded as 286 out of 100,000 every year in other parts of the country.

Addressing the participants of a training program for Lab Assistants held here under the aegis of Balochistan Rural Support Program, Social Sector Managers of the program Muhammad Anwar Panezai, said BRSP was playing an important role in providing basic health facilities to people of remote areas of the province.

Dr. Naeem Zarkoon and Provincial President of Para Medical Association, Samad Raisani also spoke on the occassion.

He said that under the program essential facilities and informations were being disseminated among the women in order to curtail pregnancy related deaths in far flung areas.

The Manager underlined that women’s status in the country was low as many were forced to marry as young as 12.

“Apart from that vast majority of women in the country more than 80% – give birth at home. The only help many of them can afford is from one of the untrained traditional birth attendants who are called, “Dais”.

“Dais” usually neither have proper medical training nor the equipments essentially required in such sensitive and risky situations, he added.

The expert further said that 45 percent of women suffered from iron deficiency which results in stillbirths, birth defects, mental retardation and infant deaths.

Hemorrhage, hypertension, unsafe abortions, infections and prolonged labor are other factors contributing to higher mortality rate among women in rural areas.

The training was attended by 15 participants hailing from Jhal Magsi, Khuzdar and Kharan. The participants were imparted training regarding 7 basic tests, which are held at BHU level. -APP