Maternal Mortality Ratio of Odisha declines

Bhubaneswar, Mar 11: The Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) of Odisha has decreased to 136 per one lakh live births. This was revealed by the special bulletin on Maternal Mortality in India 2017-19, Sample Registration System, office of the registrar general, India, New Delhi, released this month. There is decrease of 14 points of MMR in comparison to MMR published in SRS 2016-18 which was 150 per one lakh live births in the State. With improved Maternal health care services Odisha achieves significant reduction of maternal deaths with 14 point decline in MMR( 5th highest decline in country) from 150 in 2016-18 to 136 in  2017-19. Odisha has taken various initiatives to reduce the maternal mortality through an accelerated strategy under the programme, SAMMPurNA. Under this programme the challenge of addressing high risk pregnancies was focused and services were intensified in difficult to reach pockets in every corner of the State. Providing every mother opportunity for at least four antenatal checkups through integrated village health sanitation and nutrition days, special transportation support to pregnant woman from hard to reach pockets for institutional delivery, setting up of obstetrics high dependency units to manage complications, establishing additional maternity waiting homes (MAA GRUHA), improving the quality and standards in the labour rooms, providing mother and baby kits were undertaken by the programme.