The National Health Service (SNS) reports that the indicators of maternal and neonatal mortality in public hospitals continue to decline. As of April 2019, there has been a decrease of 31% in the neonatal deaths compared to last year over the same time period and a decrease of 14% in maternal deaths.
The director of the SNS, Chanel Rosa Chupany explained that public hospitals have notified 842 neonatal deaths in the first four months of 2018 and this year there have been 579.
The Enriquillo area in the southwest has reported the greatest decline in deaths. The area is made up of the provinces of Barahona, Pedernales, Bahoruco and Independencia. There were 57 neonatal deaths in the first four months of 2018 and 20 in 2019, for a 70% reduction.
Other areas with a significant reduction in neonatal deaths are the Valdesia region (San Cristóbal, Peravia and Ocoa) with 44%, the Metropolitan region (Santo Domingo, Monte Plata and the National District) with 38%, the Northcentral region (Puerto Plata, Espaillat and Santiago) with 29% and the Cibao West region (Monte Cristi, Valverde, Dajabón and Santiago Rodríguez) with 28%.
Meanwhile, maternal mortality has decreased by 14% across the country during the first four months of this year compared with the same time period last year. Last year there were 45 deaths in the first four months, and this year 35.
Looking at maternal mortality, Valdesia had the biggest reduction with 61%, followed by the region of El Valle (Azua, San Juan and Elías Piña) with 53%, Northeast (Hermanas Mirabal, María Trinidad Sánchez, Duarte and Samaná) 52% and East (Hato Mayor, El Seibo, La Romana, Altagracia and San Pedro de Macorís) with 47%.
Chanel Rosa said that next week the directors of heads of obstetric services in the maternity hospitals will meet to present the advances in the implementation of plans to improve the rate of neonatal and maternal deaths. The meeting has sponsorship from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
21 May 2019