'Effective steps needed to control newborn deaths'

Speakers on Wednesday said that one out of 19 new born children dies in the first month of his/her birth, therefore effective measures be put in place to curb the menace. They said that newborn mortality rate in the country is increasing day-by-day in the country and it constitutes around two thirds of under 5 child deaths in Pakistan.
The main reason of growing newborn babies' deaths in the country is newborn infection and sepsis, they said. They further said that there is dire need to make efforts for prevention and better treatment to control newborn deaths. To prevent death due to infection access to clean delivery by skilled birth attendants is needed, they said, while addressing a seminar entitled "Simplified Antibiotic Treatment Trial (SATT) for Management of Neonatal Sepsis, organised by the Save the Children and Advocacy and Advisory Network for New-borns (AANN).
They said that according to Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2006-07, newborn sepsis constitutes 30 percent of newborn mortality. Under PBHF 2006-07 the newborn mortality rate was 54 per one thousands live new born births while according 2013 PDHF in 2013 it was raised to 55 per one thousands live birth instead of decrease, they said.
A large number of deliveries occur at home, sometimes in unhygienic conditions in the country which may lead to development of newborn sepsis, speakers added. Dr Salim Saddruddin, Child Health Advisor Save the Children, Dr Anita Zaidi, Principal Investigator of the study and Dr Qazi Shamim, Maternal Newborn and Child Health Advisor at WHO, Geneva, Dr Assad Hafeez, Dean of Health Services Academy also spoke on the occasion.
Save the Children in collaboration with Agha Khan University Karachi and the World Health Organisation (WHO) conducted Simplified Antibiotic Treatment Trial in Karachi. The results were disseminated from the platform of Advocacy and Advisory Network for New-borns (AANN) in collaboration with Save the Children's Every one Campaign at Islamabad.
They said, "Globally and in Pakistan newborn mortality is very high and constitutes around two thirds of under 5 child deaths in Pakistan". Major causes of newborn mortality in Pakistan are newborn sepsis, birth asphyxia and low birth weight, they said. Speakers said the availability of simple treatment closer to the community may prevent these unnecessary deaths.