The rate of mother and child mortality as well as pregnancy and abortion have increased, as the coronavirus pandemic overburdens the country’s health system.
The child mortality rate has increased by 13 per cent or highest followed by 10 per cent of infant and nine per cent of maternal mortality in 2020. Bangladesh’s mortality rate of children aged below five is the third highest among the six South Asian countries.
The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) on 17 March published an estimate in a report titled Direct and indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and response in South Asia. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) collaborated to prepare the report.
The report, analysing data from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan, warns that the South Asian countries would see death of more 228 thousand children and 11 thousand mothers in the coming years due to limitations in accessing health care.
According to the report the maternal death rate increases by 9.4 per cent in Bangladesh–fifth among the South Asian countries. Sri Lanka sees the highest increase of maternal death by 21.5 per cent, followed by 21.3 in Pakistan, 17.6 per cent in India, 16.7 per cent in Nepal and 1.7 per cent in Afghanistan.
Bangladesh is ranked third regarding neonatal (0-28 days old) death rate with an increase by 9.9 per cent. Pakistan sees the highest neonatal mortality rate with 16.5 per cent increase in 2020. Neonatal mortality rate increases by 14.5 per cent in India, 7.6 per cent in Nepal, 6.9 per cent in Sri Lanka and 1.3 per cent in Afghanistan.
One of the critical indirect impacts has been severe disruptions in the delivery and use of routine services, including essential health and nutrition services. Women and children suddenly faced limitations in accessing facilities. The region saw significant drops in the use of both preventive and curative services, the report says.
The report uses conservative estimates for recovery in anticipation of the persisting COVID-19 challenge in 2021, potentially until an effective vaccine is deployed and widely available.
If health service coverage is improved by 10 and 20 per cent in the coming years compared to the 2020 levels, rates of child and maternal mortalities would change, the report suggests.
Md Muniruzzaman, director at the Mohammadpur Fertility Services and Training Centre, said, “Health service in the country became weak due to the pandemic during March-April of last year. But delivery and family planning services continud at the centre.”
He added, “Most of the private hospitals remained closed at that time. As the government hospitals were dedicated to coronavirus treatment, we had to carry a huge load of the patients.”
*This report appeared in the print edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Sadiqur Rahman