Maternal death in coastal,hilly areas still high

There is no end to the ordeal of pregnant mothers in Jhalakathi district. They have to go through sufferings from the time of conceiving to giving birth to a child. The district has only one gynaecologist who has been posted to Sadar Hospital, reports BSS.
But there is no gynaecologist in upazila health complexes. As a result, the pregnant mothers cannot talk about their problems.
The picture in the entire remote coastal region is almost like that in Jhalakathi. It can be surmised that the pregnant mothers in the remote hilly areas are also being deprived of better healthcare.
But it is different in the plain lands. The expectant mothers here get medical services from public hospitals and health centres but the services are not adequate.
The private hospitals, clinics and NGOs render healthcare services to the pregnant mothers side by side with the government health facilities. But those who are financially solvent can avail of these services.
Though the government has been working comprehensively on maternal health to achieve millennium development goals, 70,300 pregnant mothers die in a year in Bangladesh.
The chief of UNICEF health section, Niana Kopens, said 41 per cent mothers take pre-delivery, while 27 per cent get post-delivery services due to social reasons. So, there remains an apprehension of mother mortality as many expecting mothers do not go to hospitals.