Maternal mortality ratio higher in Pakistan: official

TIMERGARA: Maternal mortality ratio in Pakistan is higher than several developing countries as life expectancy for women in Pakistan is 66 years as compared to 73 in Bangladesh and 78 in Thailand whereas the infant mortality rate in Pakistan is 66 per 1000 births as compared to 38 in India and eight in Sri Lanka. These views were expressed by Dr Waqar Alam, an orthopaedic surgeon at Timergara Teaching Hospital, while speaking at a function after inaugurating Women and Children's Hospital at Malakabad Balambat here on Sunday.

Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) and ANP Dir Lower president Haji Bahadar Khan, former finance minister Muzaffra Said advocate, former MPA and provincial minister Bakht Baidar Khan, former district nazim Lower Dir Muhammad Rasool Khan, ANP Lower Dir senior vice-president Mlik Sajjad, PML-N Lower Dir president Malik Farooq Iqbal, former nazim tehsil Balambat Imranuddin advocate, former district councillor Inayatullah Khan, elders from the area and a large number of locals were present on the occasion.

Dr Waqar said the maternal mortality rate in Pakistan was 170 per 1000 live births in contrast to only 20 in Thailand and 30 in Sri Lanka. Dr Waqar Alam, who is also the owner of Women and Children's Hospital, said the establishment of the hospital was meant to provide quality healthcare services to the locals on the basis of “no loss, no gain.”