Times News Network
 
Udupi Nov 7: Udupi has the lowest infant mortality and it makes it the most healthy district in the state, according to Usha Ganesh, principal secretary of health and family welfare.

Infant mortality, maternal mortality and institutional deliveries are the three health indices to be considered for health services of a district. Udupi is close to Kerala which has been rated as the least infant mortality state in the county, she said.

Speaking to reporters, after attending a review meeting of the department in the DC office here on Monday, she said infant mortality in the district is 8 per 1,000, whereas maternal mortality is 65 per one lakh. Last year in Udupi, it was only 35 per one lakh and the increase in the maternal mortality is a matter of serious concern. Though reasons are not known yet, the matter is being looked into. The institutional delivery in Udupi is a high of 95 per cent, compared with the state average of 60 per cent.

Dengue or chikungunya cases are not cause of concern here. Blood samples of two suspected cases in a private hospital, which were sent to the National Institute Virology, Pune, were reported negative. In the entire Karnataka, cases of dengue and chikungunya are less when compared to the last year. This year it was only 56 cases of dengue as against last year’s 600. The government has put in Rs 8 crore to control and contain these diseases, apart from Rs 2 crore special sanction from the Union government.

Beyond all this, the worrying factor is malaria. In the district, over 500 cases of malaria were reported and in Udupi CMC area alone over 150 cases have been reported, including 50 cases in Malpe.

The Janani Suraksha Yojane, a special scheme to extend postnatal financial help to women from economically poor background, is becoming popular, Usha said. She said under this scheme, financial help of Rs 500 for a normal delivery and Rs 1,500 for caesarean delivery and Rs 700 for hospital delivery, will be extended up to two children.