The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh has halved its under-five child morality during the last decade but yet to set any target to reduce the mortality of neonates, who make up 55 percent of the total child deaths annually, a neonatal conference was told on Friday.

"It is important to set a target for reduction of neonatal deaths in line with the millennium development goals (MDGs) 4 and 5," Prof Mohammad Shahidullah of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said at the policy session of a three-day international conference here.

Bangladesh Neonatal Foundation (BNF) in association with UN International Children Fund (UNICEF) and Save the Children, USA, organised the conference at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre (BCFCC).

Prof Shahidullah said around 120,000 neonatal deaths are being occurred annually in the country, most of which could be prevented through family awareness and ensuring safe delivery by trained persons at homes where 85 percent birth take place.

But things have not been improved much due to inadequacy of trained birth attendants (TBAs) and skilled birth attendants (SBAs) at local levels, he added.

Prof Shahidullah said the highest importance should be laid on the reduction of neonatal deaths considering their high proportion in child mortality in the country which, experts say, is on track to achieve maternal and child health related MDGs by 2015.

In this context, he urged to fulfil the vacant posts of health staffs at the grassroots levels.

"We have failed to keep doctors at village levels, but we will take care of it," observed health ministry additional secretary Abul Kalam Azad, who attended the concluding session as the chief guest.

He reaffirmed the government's commitment to reduce the child mortality at least by two-thirds in line with MDGs.

Prof MQK Talukder, a noted pediatrician, said the reduction of neonatal and child mortality could not be possible unless the issue of breastfeeding is included as a major intervention to it.

He said the exclusive breastfeeding could alone save many lives.

Opposing any further pilot project in this context, he said piloting of anymore projects would be wastage of money.