Hyderabad: One infant dies daily at Gandhi hospital

Hyderabad: Even though the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate (MMR) have come down in Telangana, still 30-40 infant deaths were reported monthly at Gandhi Hospital, which is a tertiary care hospital in Hyderabad, this financial year 2024-25.

According to statistics, nearly 430 infants died during the FY 2023-24 while 241 infant deaths have been reported so far. In August alone, 41 infants died at the hospital. Similarly, 68 mothers have died this year so far compared to 108 deaths in the previous year.

The maternal mortality rate and infant mortality rate in the state are comparatively lower than the national average. The infant mortality rate has come down to 21 from 39 while the maternal mortality rate has reduced to 43 from 92 in Telangana.

The doctors at the Gandhi hospital said the majority of the pregnant women were anemic. They also attributed factors like malnutrition, high BP, diabetes and thyroid problems to the increased MMR at the hospital.

The majority of the patients referred to Gandhi Hospital are those whose condition is critical and whom the local government and private hospitals cannot provide further treatment for. There are only three senior doctors to cater to five units in the maternity department of the hospital. It is also said that the health department is not auditing the infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate at the government-run hospitals in the state to remedy the situation.