Newborn deaths still high in BD

Around 62,000 newborn babies and 83,000 stillborn babies die every year in Bangladesh due to some preventable causes.

Globally, deaths of newborn babies remain alarmingly high, particularly among the world's poorest countries, according to a global report released Tuesday.

Releasing the report, UNICEF launched a campaign styled 'Every Child Alive', said a statement.

The campaign is going on globally to demand and deliver solutions on behalf of the world's newborns that will boost the Bangladesh National Newborn Campaign, launched back in November last year.

The campaign will focus on 10 countries -- Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United Republic of Tanzania. Together, these countries account for more than half of the world's newborn deaths.

Keeping this in view, UNICEF issued an urgent appeal to the government, health care providers, donors, the private sector, families and businesses to keep every child alive. Bangladesh joins this global call to contain all preventable child and neonatal deaths by 2030.

Bangladesh achieved MDG4 and made commendable progress in neonatal mortality.

In 1990, around 241,000 newborns were dying and in 2016 that was reduced to 62,000. Despite well-performing public health programmes, Bangladesh is still among the 10 countries with the highest number of newborn deaths in 2016, and 88 per cent of neonatal deaths in Bangladesh are from some preventable causes.

"No baby should die of preventable causes, and we need to extend affordable, quality health care to every mother and baby. Through this campaign, UNICEF aims to mobilise public support to influence policy change, fund solutions and engage with individuals, businesses and policymakers to make this happen," said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF Bangladesh representative.

In low-income countries, the average newborn mortality rate is 27 deaths per 1,000 births. In high-income countries, that rate is 3 deaths per 1,000. Newborns from the riskiest places to give birth are up to 50 times more likely to die than those from the safest places.

These deaths can be prevented with access to well-trained midwives, proven solutions like clean water, disinfectants, breastfeeding within the first hour, skin-to-skin contact and good nutrition.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is working on prioritizing effective interventions for maternal and newborn health, with support of UNICEF, and other partners.

To this extent, MoFHW has introduced the Special Newborn Care Units (SCANUs) in 44 districts of Bangladesh for the sick newborn, providing specialized care for sick newborns in public hospitals.

In coming years, these SCANUs will be expanded in the remaining 20 districts. The Alive Campaign will look to fast track this goal.

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