Maternal mortality major problem in Nepal: World Disaster Report

World Disaster Report 2006 has projected maternal mortality as major problem in Nepal.

The report, released here Monday in a programme organized by Nepal Red Cross Society has stated maternal mortality in Nepal as disaster.

Statistics presented by the Ministry of Health and Population states that 539 women among each hundred thousand die in Nepal at the time of giving birth.

Releasing the report president of the society Ramesh Kumar Sharma explained about the efforts made to contain the maternal mortality.

Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Coordinator of the UN system in Nepal Matthew Kahane suggested to pay attention in standard rural health service.

Editor of the report Jonathan Walter, General Secretary of the society Dev Ratna Dhakhwa, Coordinator, Health Sector Reform Unit at Ministry of Health  Dr. Baburam Marasini, Dr. Indira Basnet also spoke on problems of maternal and child mortality in Nepal.

"Globally, unsafe motherhood silently steals over half a million lives a year. In Nepal, between 5,000 and 6,000 mothers die each year in childbirth. This death toll of one woman every 90 minutes makes Nepal one of the deadliest places in the world to give birth – yet their plight goes unreported," the report says.

"Meanwhile, an estimated 30,000 babies a year die before they are a month old. Behind these hidden tragedies lie delays in seeking care, delays in reaching a healthcare facility and delays in accessing adequate treatment at the facility," the report has added.