Over 2 lakh babies born with low birth weight in 2018-19: Maharashtra minister

MUMBAI: Maharashtra recorded 12,147 foetal deaths and 11,066 child deaths between April and December 2019, according to data from Health Management Information Systems (HMIS). This information was given by health minister Rajesh Tope in a written reply to the state assembly on Friday. The data also showed that in 2018-19, over 2 lakh newborns who weighed below 2.5kg were recorded in the state, of which 22,172 were from Mumbai.
He added that in 2018-19, the HMIS had recorded 13,070 newborn deaths in the state, of which 1,402 cases were from Mumbai. He said the cause of death of the newborns included premature birth, low birth weight, infections, pneumonia and respiratory distress syndrome.
Although Maharashtra is one of the richer states of the country, experts said that the high incidence of low birth weight babies and infant deaths reveal the lack of priority for public health. Data from the HMIS shows that more low birth weight babies were born in Maharashtra in 2018-19 (2,11,772) than in 2017-18 (2,05,582).
"Babies weighing less than 2.5kg at birth are classified as low birth weight ones. Almost a third of India's babies weigh less than 2.5kg at birth," said neonatologist Dr Nandkishor Kabra. The causes range from mother's poor health to infections and congenital anomalies. "About 13% of the low birthweight babies are also premature," added the doctor.
While the central and state governments have drawn up protocols and plans to arrest this trend, the numbers continue to be high: Between April 2019 and January 2020, almost 1.87 lakh low birth weight babies were born in Maharashtra. In fact, according to experts, while India has managed to bring down maternal and infant mortality, there has not been any substantial decline in the incidence of low birth weight over the last four decades.