Main cause for under-five child mortality highlighted

Islamabad : Pakistan joins the global community to commemorate the World Prematurity Day (WPD) being observed on November 17, under the theme: A parents embrace: a powerful therapy. Enable skin-to-skin contact from the moment of birth. The theme refers to the concept of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), one of the best options to provide care for premature babies in low-income countries.

In KMC, newborn is held closely to the chest by the parent, mother or father, with a blanket wrapped around both. The skin-to-skin contact provides warmth and prevents hypothermia. It is medically beneficial for the baby and good for parent-child bonding. Preterm birth is one of the three leading causes for neonatal mortality and accounts for more than one third of all newborn deaths in Pakistan.

Globally, preterm birth is one of the leading causes of child deaths under age 5 as almost 15 million babies in the world are born prematurely and nearly 1 million die due to related complications. Across 184 countries, the rate of preterm birth ranges from 5% to 18% of babies born. Small and sick newborns, most of whom are born preterm, have the highest risk of death and contribute to the majority of the world’s disabled children.

KMC has now been increasingly recognized as a cost-effective intervention to save preterm infants. KMC was introduced in Pakistan by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) since 2017 to curtail the high infant mortality rate in the country.

Unicef in collaboration with the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination and provincial health departments has supported establishment of 41 Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) units across the country (21 in Punjab, 7 in Sindh, 4 in KP, 1 in Balochistan, 3 in GB, 2 in KPK, and 3 in ICT). UNICEF has provided all the necessary equipment and materials to help train staff from Gynae/Obstetric and Neonatology units on KMC.

An element of Supportive Supervision has also been incorporated to help enhance quality of care for the newborns and thousands of precious newborn lives have been saved. Government of Pakistan and its development partners are trying to reduce preterm births and new-born mortality due to related complications such as Birth Asphyxia, Prematurity and Sepsis.

These efforts have contributed to reduce new-born mortality from 55 to 42 deaths per 1,000 live births during the last five years. It has also had a remarkable impact on morbidity in preterm newborns. “We have seen that KMC works like a miracle,” says Dr. Inoussa Kabore, Uncef Deputy Representative in Pakistan.

“The physical and emotional closeness of baby and parents during birth, delivery and postnatal period has long-term health and emotional benefits for the child. Additionally awareness raising for mothers and fathers during pregnancy and postnatal period including nutritious food remain an important preventive measure and helps prepare them for KMC when need arise.” “Expanding KMC facilities across the country is imperative to save precious new-born lives and UNICEF is working towards that under the leadership of the Government of Pakistan,” adds Dr. Inoussa.