The WHO has declared that mothers and newborns are free from tetanus at the time of birth in India. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after inaugurating the Call to Action Summit 2015 on reducing child and maternal deaths across the world in New Delhi. In 2014, India was declared polio free.
Points to Note
- Mali has the highest Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) at 78, while South Sudan has the highest Mother Mortality Rate (MMR) at 730.
- India’s IMR stands at 40 while the MMR stands at 167. in comparison, in 1990, the IMR was 380, and the MMR was 540.
What is Neonatal Tetanus?
- Neonatal tetanus is a form of generalized tetanus that occurs in newborns, usually those born to mothers who themselves have not been vaccinated.
- If the mother has been vaccinated against tetanus, the infants acquire passive immunity and are thus protected.
- As of 1998 neonatal tetanus was common in many developing countries and was responsible for about 14% (215,000) of all neonatal deaths.
- As the result of a public health campaign, the death toll from neonatal tetanus was reduced by 90% between 1990 and 2010, and by 2013 the disease had been largely eliminated from all but 25 countries.
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