WHO gives India 10 yrs to improve mother care

WHO has warned that the number of untimely deaths of mothers and children could shoot up in India if the government does not take steps in the next 10 years. According to the World Health Report to be released tomorrow, the girl child in India has 50 per cent more chance of dying before attaining the age of five.

The number of births across the world, the report says, is likely to peak from 3.5 million per year to 137 million in 2015, most of these in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia, particularly Pakistan and north India. Against these statistics, WHO has called for protection of adolescent girls and young women against early pregnancy and saving children during birth. The report, which will be released on World Health Day, focuses on mother and child care.

India is among 51 countries showing very slow progress in preventing the deaths. Of total 10.6 million child deaths, 2.3 million are in India; of 5 lakh pregnant women dying annually across the world, 1 lakh are in India alone.