An in-depth study on neonatal health in three districts of Uttar Pradesh
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Date
2020
Authors
Parveen, Shaila
Pradhan, Pramod Kumar
Saket Suman, Saket
Kumar, Nikhil
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Child Rights and You (CRY)
Abstract
The first 28 days of life (the neonatal period) is the most vulnerable time for a child’s survival. Children face the highest risk of dying in their first month of life (UNICEF, 2018). The Right to Life as enshrined in Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, and the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a Fundamental Right, and Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) states that by 2030, the aim is to end prevent-able deaths of newborns and children under five years of age, and reduce neonatal mortality rate (NMR) to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births. In the National Plan of Action (NPA) 2016, India has committed to reducing neonatal mortality to 21 by 2021. India currently contributes to one-fifth of global live births and more than a quarter of neonatal deaths. In India, the NMR stood at 23 deaths per thousand live births in 2018 (SRS 2018). Around 72 percent of total infant deaths and more than half of under-five deaths fall in the neonatal period; deaths in the first week alone account for 55 percent of total infant deaths (SRS 2018). The latest round of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-IV) 2015-16 indicates that only 24 percent of children received a health check-up from a qualified medical personnel within 2 days of birth, and that less than 3 percent of children born at home were taken to a health facility for check-up within 24 hours of birth. The causes, drivers and determinants of these occurrences are myriad and multifaceted which includes infrastructure gaps, parental education and non-optimal health seeking behaviours along with other socio-economic drivers. There are medical causes also of neonatal deaths like prematurity and low birth weight, birth asphyxia, etc. Over the years, consistent efforts to address the above issues have been made by both the State and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). While the steps taken to reduce mortality have shown some positive trends over the last few decades, India still has a higher neonatal mortality rate compared to the world average. The state of Uttar Pradesh has one of the highest neonatal mortality rates in the country with 32 deaths for every 1000 live births (SRS 2018). The rural-urban differential in the state is also one of the highest in the country with rural areas witnessing 34 deaths for every 1000 live births and urban areas re-cording 21 deaths for every 1000 live births in the neonatal period.
In Uttar Pradesh, CRY- Child Rights and You, recognising the pressing need for improving the maternal and child health, has a range of holistic interventions both at the system and the community levels in the grass-roots, through a host of measures. The CRY experience shows that the issue of infant and neonatal deaths is complex with a cluster of interlinked drivers and a need was felt for the study to further explore the socio- cul-tural determinants and different health aspects of the occurrence. The study findings will guide CRY and other civil society organisations’ (CSOs) endeavours to address issues related to neonatal health and mortality in Uttar Pradesh and also strengthen the policy dialogue with different stakeholders including policy makers and influencers at different forums.
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141p