Updated: 7:47am – A total of 313 babies below the age of 1 have passed away in the last two year in our health centers and hospitals.
This was highlighted by the Health Minister Rosy Akbar in a statement responding to written question in Parliament by SODELPA MP, Anare Vadei who had asked Akbar on the number of baby deaths and the caused of death for each baby in the last two years.
Akbar stated that 63 babies have died of pneumonia, 61 babies passed away of foetal death of unspecified cause, 38 babies have died of respiratory distress syndrome and 26 babies of inhalation of gastric contents.
She also states that 39 babies have died of bacterial sepsis, 23 babies had heart conditions, 22 babies passed away of severe birth asphyxia, 21 babies died of meconium aspiration and 20 babies have died of gastroenteritis.
The Health Minister stated that medical staff have undertaken procedures to reach out and consult the families in a progressive manner where internal investigations will be conducted.
Akbar says that once the investigation are completed, the root cause analysis findings is then revealed only to the family by the Ministry.
She says that the concerted effort by the Ministry together with the World Health Organisation, has seen significant reduction in maternal adverse outcome rates for the three year period of 2011-2013 when compared to 2013-2015 period.
Akbar says maternal death ratio data has fallen from 39.2 per 100,000 live births in 2011-2013 period to 30.9 per 100,000 live birth in the 2013-2015 period.
-Fiji Village
