'Trained attendants can cut newborns' death risk'
The death risk of newborns could be reduced significantly in Bangladesh if the birth attendants are given proper training on stimulation to breathe and other cares at their birth, experts at a seminar said yesterday.
To ensure normal breathing of a neonatal, such trainings under a pilot project titled "Helping Babies Breathe," led by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), have already been given to doctors, nurses and birth attendants.
BSMMU organised the dissemination seminar and stakeholders' consultation on the pilot project at a hotel in the city.
Addressing the pro-gramme as the chief guest, Health Minister AFM Ruhul Haque said the project will be extended at district level soon. "The government will take necessary steps to implement it as soon as possible," he added.
According to the Bangla-desh Demographic Health Survey in 2007, each year 1.2 lakh newborn babies died within 28 days. Of which, 24,000 neonates died due to respiratory complexities at birth.
Principal Investigator of the project Pro Vice-chancellor of BSMMU Prof Mohammad Shahidullah said a total of 212 persons, including doctors, nurses of BSMMU, Azimpur Maternity and Banshbari Clinic of Urban Primary Health Care and community skilled birth attendants (CSBAs) of Habiganj, were given training on the cares at neonatal birth under the project.
They were then assigned to apply the system at the field level, he said adding, "Almost every trainee have applied the system successfully and helped save the lives of neonates at birth."
Directorate General of Health Directorate Shah Munir Hossain said that family welfare assistants are being used as skilled birth attendants for the safe delivery though it is not their job. As a result, a chaos is being created in this regard, he added.
"Choosing and managing the programme is now a great concern and we should rethink how will go for the maternal and neonatal programme," he said.
Health Secretary Humayun Kabir, Mission Chief of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Denise Rollins, country representative of Unicef Carel Rooy, director of Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP) under the international flagship programme of USAID Koki Agarwal, among others, spoke. USAID.
BSMMU gave technical support to the pilot project while USAID financed it and Save the Children provided managerial assistance.
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