148 Newborns Die Over Three Months in Three Remote Districts of Northeast India

Authorities have launched an investigation after 148 newborns died consecutively over the past three months in three districts of Assam state in northeastern India.

According to Indian media outlets including NDTV on Wednesday (July 8), 49 newborns died in Karimganj district in the Barak Valley of southern Assam between April 1 and July 3.

During the same period, 74 and 25 newborns died in Cachar and Hailakandi, two other geographically isolated districts within the Barak Valley, respectively.

In Karimganj district, two mothers also passed away last May.

The Assam Health Department has initiated an investigation into the deaths of the newborns and mothers in Karimganj.

The health authorities plan to examine each case in detail and investigate whether there were any issues with the neonatal care systems at the hospitals.

According to the health department, the primary causes of the newborn deaths are asphyxia, low birth weight, and sepsis.

NDTV reported that asphyxia is caused by a lack of oxygen during or immediately after birth, and that severe bacterial infections are also among the greatest threats to newborn survival.

The causes of death for the two mothers have already been identified, and authorities intend to use this opportunity to look into whether there were any other external factors involved.

These mothers died from postpartum hemorrhage.

One mother was in a high-risk pregnancy, while the other suffered from complications due to a retained placenta immediately after delivery.

They ultimately passed away despite the assistance of medical staff.

Health experts stated that the deaths of newborns and others in Karimganj are likely related to the chronic lack of infrastructure in the Barak Valley.

They noted that some remote villages have poor road connectivity, which can prevent critically ill newborns or pregnant women from being transported to hospitals in a timely manner.

It was also pointed out that delays in transport due to a shortage of ambulances could lower the survival chances for newborns or mothers in critical condition.

According to a report released by the United Nations in March last year, India's neonatal mortality rate (deaths within the first 28 days of life) decreased from 28 per 1,000 live births in 2015 to 17 in 2023.

While this is a significant reduction compared to 57 per 1,000 in 1990, India has the highest absolute number of newborn deaths in the world, with 600,000 to 750,000 infants dying annually due to its massive population size.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.