According to records available with the NITI Aayog the maternal mortality rate in Assam is still the highest among all the States of the country and much higher than the national average, though it is coming down gradually.
Meanwhile, the Government of India has made decisions to go for extensive use of the branches of the Ayush Ministry to bring down the maternal and infant mortality rate as there is shortage of doctors in the State.
According to the sources, the State Government admitted that the high maternal mortality rate was caused due to various schemes adopted by the National Health Mission. While the rate has come down considerably over the year, there is still much to be done to bring it down, at least to the national average, Northeast Today reported.
Sources revealed that the maternal mortality rate is much higher in the tea garden areas mainly due to lack of adequate healthcare facilities , lack of knowledge about health and hygiene among the people. Early marriage and lack of proper nutrition are some other causes for high rate of maternal mortality rate in such areas. The mortality rate is also quite high in the char areas because of the lack of adequate healthcare facilities in those areas. Tobacco use by pregnant mothers is another major cause for the disturbing phenomenon.
Sources admitted that the mother and childcare facilities in the peripheral hospitals are still far from adequate and there is immediate need for improving the infrastructure in all such hospitals. There is acute shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in the hospitals in the remote areas and to deal with the problem the Government of India has decided to give stress on the wings under the Ayush Ministry and the Assam Government has also been directed to give due importance in this regard