India is the fourth worst place to be in for mothers among 80 less developed countries, the annual State of the World's Mothers report said.
The mothers of India are in a pitiable state. According to a report on the State of the World’s Mothers, India is the fourth worst place for mothers among 80 “less developed” countries.
India ranks 76th due to its poor performance on maternal and child health.
Incidentally, violence-affected Afghanistan has shown improvement while China remains in lead in Asia in maternal health situation.
The Mother’s Index is based on a number of criteria such as lifetime risk of maternal death, per cent of births attended by skilled health personnel, and other risk factors related to maternity.
India grossly underperformed on skilled birth attendance (which is 53%, relative to an average of 88%) and child malnutrition (underweight prevalence is 43%, relative to the 9% average).
With 43% of under-five children underweight, India has one of the highest rates of child malnutrition and the second highest rate in the world after Timor-Leste.
Its rate of skilled birth attendance is fifth lowest in all of Tier II countries.
The report by NGO Save the Children, revealed that less than 40% infants in India receive the full benefits of exclusive breastfeeding in their early months.
“Even though India has made efforts to improve maternal health by encouraging institutional deliveries and taking other measure, the benefits have not yet appeared to bring about a shift. Even now almost half of our births take place in the absence of skilled health personnel.
“This has a direct bearing on mothers’ health and, due to the strong dependence of children on mothers, also on children’s health,” said Thomas Chandy, Save the Children India CEO.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}