62 Out of 1,000 Babies in Punjab Die Before Their First Birthday

Punjab records 62 infant deaths for every 1, 000 live births, highlighting persistent gaps in maternal and child healthcare despite having the country's largest public healthcare network and health budget.

Key points

• At the national level, almost 140, 000 newborns and 3, 800 mothers could be saved annually through improved access to family planning.
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• Rain and GLOF Alert Issued for Upper Parts of Pakistan.
• According to a Population Council fact sheet, improving access to voluntary family planning could significantly reduce infant and maternal deaths.

Health experts say plenty of of these deaths are preventable and are linked to fragile primary healthcare, shortages of neonatal specialists, overcrowded maternity and children's wards, and unequal access to quality medical services in urban and rural areas. Rain and GLOF Alert Issued for Upper Parts of Pakistan.

In practice, the first month after birth remains the most critical period for a child. Premature birth, infections, low birth weight, and delays in accessing emergency medical care claim thousands of newborn lives every year.

Notably, the situation is particularly challenging in district hospitals, where neonatal intensive care units remain overstretched and referral systems often fail to ensure timely treatment for critically ill infants. Families in major districts of Punjab additionally face difficulties getting children admitted to already crowded hospital wards.

Public health experts say successive governments have invested heavily in tertiary healthcare facilities and introduced a number of flagship programs, but preventive healthcare has not received the same level of attention.

Community-based maternal services, including nutrition programs, trained midwives, and functional primary healthcare centers, remain inadequate in plenty of districts, leaving expectant mothers and newborns vulnerable to complications.

According to a Population Council fact sheet, improving access to voluntary family planning could significantly reduce infant and maternal deaths. Punjab to Introduce New Safety Rules for Newborn Care Units.

For context, the council estimates that increasing contraceptive prevalence in Punjab from the current 41% to 59% could save almost 73, 000 infants and 2, 300 mothers every year through healthier birth spacing and fewer unintended pregnancies.

For context, the World Health Organization estimates that 675 newborns and 27 mothers die every day in Pakistan due to preventable complications during pregnancy, childbirth, and the neonatal period.

These figures place Pakistan among the countries with one of the world's highest newborn mortality burdens and underline the need to strengthen maternal and child health services. Stay Connected with ProPakistani. Obtain the latest news and stories wherever you prefer. Follow on Google Discover.

Taken together, the developments around 62 Out of 1, 000 Babies in Punjab Die Before Their First Birthday point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.