Jiban Kumar Malla, chief at the Banke District Public Health Office (DPO), said two women died between mid-July to mid-August and two more died since mid-August. [break]
“The rising case of maternal mortality even when the pregnant women visit hospitals for delivery has posed a great challenge to us,” said Malla. “We will study the reason behind the increased maternal mortality and would devise plan to address it,” he added.
According to Malla, one of the reasons behind the high maternal mortality in the district is that 82 percent of pregnant women reach hospital only after their situation become complex.
Last year, 18 new mothers had died with birth-related complications while 23 women had died due to similar reasons in 2011. There were 22 incidents of maternal mortality in the distinct in 2010.
According to the DPO, 2,830 women under the age of 20 and 9,891 women above the age of 20 visited hospitals for regular check-ups during the pregnancy.
Launching a report on the heath service delivery in the district amid a press meet in Nepalgunj on Wednesday, the DPO informed that 4,638 men were provided with condoms; 3,157 women were given contraceptive pills and more than 12,000 women had received contraceptive vaccines.
Similarly, 407 persons, including men and women, opted for permanent method of birth control last year.
The DPO also informed that out of 114 new cases of leprosy found in the district, 81 patients have been undergoing treatment while 33 of them have recovered fully.
Similarly, 10,934 children under the age of one were administered DPT vaccine while 9,234 children aged 13 to 24 months were vaccinated against Japanese encephalitis.
Three primary health care centers, 13 heath posts, 31 Sub-health posts, 303 vaccination centers, 145 village clinics are operational in the district.
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