Suman: Odisha’s new initiative to reduce NMR and MMR

BHUBANESWAR, Odisha: The Government of Odisha is planning a new initiative named Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (Suman), an initiative to reduce maternal mortality ratio (MMR) and neonatal mortality rate (NMR), while striving towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

In Odisha, MMR stands at 136 deaths per one lakh live births, even after 14 points decline in the last two years. On the other hand, NMR recorded a slight reduction of 1.2 points. Earlier, the NMR was at 28.2, which came down to 27 during the same period. However, both the indicators are well above the national average of 103 and 25, respectively.

India aims to reduce the preventable deaths of new born babies, child mortality and MMR to 70 deaths per one lakh live births by the end of 2030.

The initiative aims to scale down all preventable deaths to zero, by making available quality health services to women and children. It will also converge all the programmes running in the field of maternal health, thus ensuring service to all women and new born visiting the public health institutions.

Odisha has significantly improved the number of institutional deliveries, which was 55.4 per cent in the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) – 4, which increased to 92.2 per cent in National Family Health Survey – 5. However, stillbirths (10), MMR and NMR are still very high. NMR of the state is seventh highest in the country, as per the data of NFHS-5. Under the Suman initiative, Centres of Excellence (CoEs) will be established to guide, monitor and enhance the capacity of the healthcare service providers. The CoE working for maternal health will operate under the Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) department of SCB Medical College and Hospital. These CoEs will function under the hub and spoke model in which SCB Medical Colleges and Hospital will serve as the hub while the other medical colleges will function as spoke.