Guwahati: Director of Health Services Aman War said that at least 61 pregnant women and 877 newborns have died in Meghalaya in the four months starting from April for want of admission to hospitals and also due to lack of medical attention as the health machinery has diverted most of its attention to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
None of these fatalities (from April to July) was because of the novel coronavirus, which has emerged as the single biggest health challenge in front of the world as it has already killed several lakh people across the world in a matter of months.
According to War, the newborn deaths were due to lack of medical attention, care, pneumonia and birth asphyxia. Addressing media persons on Friday, War said that it is a "matter of concern" that the infant and maternal mortality rate has risen sharply as the entire state health machinery is diverted to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most of the women died because they were not admitted to hospitals or health centres for institutional delivery, said War.
War further divulged that Meghalaya has an infant mortality rate of 34 deaths per 1000 live births and pneumonia is the major cause of deaths of babies at birth even as birth asphyxia is another cause.
The health official further urged the hospitals and health centres that they should not refuse admission to patients including pregnant women even if they come from COVID-19 containment zones.
War urged all pregnant women to register with the nearest health centre to enable the department to do contact tracing of their well being and to allow health workers to reach out to them in case they need help and to prevent possible mishaps at childbirth.
Pointing out that during the period a total of 10 persons had died due to COVID-19, War told media that more people have died due to other disease and not COVID-19.
"At least 877 newborns have died at birth and 61 women during childbirth during the period from April to July this year," he declared in front of media personnel.
This development is rather alarming, as the health infrastructure in Meghalaya is considered 'adequate' in regards to its population. As per Government records, there are 12 big hospitals in the state capital, including six that are privately owned.
Meghalaya also has a total of 28 community health centres and 139 public health centres. Apart from that, there is a government-run civil hospital in each of the 11 district headquarters.