SURKHET, May 8: Karnali province continues to record higher number of births in home. The Nepal Family Health Survey report by the Ministry of Social Development shows that 65 percent of women gave birth at home this fiscal year.
Geographical remoteness, adverse environment, social superstitions, bad cultural and religious practices and lack of education are among the identified factors behind prevalence of homebirths at higher rate in the province.
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According to the survey, only 36 percent women give birth in health facilities. The number is extremely low even when 73 per cent women visit health facilities for regular pregnancy checkups. “Despite checkups, more than 50 percent women give birth at home,” Brish Bahadur Shahi, Chief of Health Service Division at the Ministry. As a result, the province has not witnessed rise in the number of births by skilled birth attendants.
Child mortality rate is 29 per thousand and the maternal mortality rate is 22 per 100,000 live births in the province. Neonatal mortality rate is 47 and child mortality rate below 5 is 58 per 1,000.
Division Chief Shahi said women of reproductive age and children lack nutritious food and average life expectancy of the province is 65 years.
According to Shahi, cancer, fatalities due to road accidents and mental health problems are on the rise in province. The Ministry highlighted that people lacked access to quality medicines, life-saving drugs and equipments.
