Health Ministry statistics show decline in under-five mortality rates

Nov 08, 2018 News

The mortality rate of children under five is on the decline. At least this is based on preliminary statistics from the Statistical Unit of the Ministry of Public Health which show the number of mortalities between the period 2014 and 2017.
The mortality rates are classified in three categories – neonatal, infant and 0-5. While in 2014 there was a total of 202 neonatal deaths, infant mortality amounted to 286. However, deaths of children under five recorded by the Ministry were 38.
In 2015 there was a notable decline of neonatal deaths amounting to 191, and infant deaths also decreased to 263. In the under five mortality category, the recorded number of deaths increased by one. But by 2016, the Ministry was able to record decreases in all three categories reflected by the 125 neonatal deaths, 162 infant deaths and a mere 24 under five deaths.
The numbers further decreased in 2017 with 67 neonatal deaths being recorded, 101 infant deaths and just 16 under five deaths. Despite the decline, the statistics reveal that the deaths over the four-year period continued to be highest in Region Four. This development, however, could easily be linked to the fact that the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC] is the only referral institution in Region Four and has been catering to regional cases as well.
But the Ministry is nevertheless boasting of the overall noticeable decline in the child mortality rates.
According to information provided by Senior Minister of Public Health, Ms. Volda Lawrence, the decline in these deaths has been attributed to the deliberate attempts being made by the Public Health Ministry to improve infant and child health here in Guyana.
In this regard the Ministry has been directing focus to specialists training. In fact according to the Senior Public Health Minister, “It is our target that every hospital will have specialists in the areas of paediatrics, surgery and obstetrics and gynaecology.”
According to Minister Lawrence, already the Ministry has started to bring on board an increased number of specialists.
The Public Health Minister’s disclosure came as part of her response presented to the National Assembly to questions posed by People’s Progressive Party [PPP] Member of Parliament, Dr. Vindhya Persaud.
However the Ministry’s efforts have not been limited to specialist training as, according to the Minister, “Ongoing efforts will continue to ensure supporting staff are trained especially in the areas of Helping Babies Breathe, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, Basic Life Support and Advanced Life Support so that complications will continue to be managed adequately.”
Added to this, the Minister said that with an Inter-American Development Bank loan, her Ministry will be looking to purchase equipment for the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the West Demerara Regional Hospital which will see the Neonatal Intensive Care Units at these facilities benefiting.
As she amplified that her Ministry, and by extension Government, will continue to make strides to improve infant and child health within the country Minister Lawrence embraced the preliminary data from her Ministry’s Statistical Unit which suggest that deaths among this population continue to decrease.
She, however, noted that “though it is our desire that every child has the opportunity to survive into adulthood, we acknowledge that there are many areas within the system that need improvement, hence our continued efforts to ensure universal access and coverage.”
In this quest, the Minister said efforts will be continued to decrease the inequities of the coastland and hinterland by further enhancing the services that are available at the hospitals and primary health care facilities.

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