The focus on maternal, neonatal, and infant health in Jamaica (MNIH) came sharply into focus after the 2016 ‘Dead Babies Scandal’. The story was broken by The Sunday Gleaner, reporting that seven babies had died after contracting an infection from their mothers during vaginal delivery at the Victoria Jubilee Hospital. A week later, this number was increased to 26, based on a copy of a report from the hospital, leaked to the newspaper.
Since then, several programmes have been implemented to educate the public and health care practitioners about ways to ascertain MNIH in Jamaica, as part of the push to reduce child and maternal mortalities in the country. Below are statistics on MNIH in Jamaica.
1. Globally, the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in 2015 was 216 per 100,000 women; the under-5 mortality ratio was 43 per 1,000 and the neonatal mortality ratio was 19 per 1,000.
2. Jamaica did not meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for MNIH up to 2015. Goal 4 was to reduce child mortality by two thirds (67%) and Goal 5 was to reduce maternal mortality by three quarters (75%) by 2015.
3. a) Under-five mortality rate stood at 22 per 1,000 live births in 2000. The goal by 2015 was 9.8 per 1,000 live births. Jamaica’s achievement was 15.7 per 1,000 live births in 2015.
b) Infant mortality ratio stood at 18.7 per 1,000 live births in 2000. The goal by 2015 was 8.1 per 1,000 live births. Jamaica’s achievement was 13.8 per 1,000 live births in 2015.
c) Neonatal mortality rate stood at 17 per 1,000 live births in 2000. The goal by 2015 is still unknown to us. Jamaica’s achievement was 11.6 per 1,000 live births in 2015.
4. a) Under-five mortality rate stood at 22 per 1,000 live births in 2000. The goal by 2015 was 9.8 per 1,000 live births. Jamaica’s achievement was 15.7 per 1,000 live births in 2015.
b) Infant mortality ratio stood at 18.7 per 1,000 live births in 2000. The goal by 2015 was 8.1 per 1,000 live births. Jamaica’s achievement was 13.8 per 1,000 live births in 2015.
c) Neonatal mortality rate stood at 17 per 1,000 live births in 2000. The goal by 2015 is still unknown to us. Jamaica’s achievement was 11.6 per 1,000 live births in 2015.
5. Pre-term births accounted for more than a quarter of deaths among children under-5 years (28.4%) and newborns (37.8%). Quality of care is one of the most important issues in MNIH. At least 20% of health issues affecting children under 5 are related to poor maternal health and nutrition, as well as quality of care before delivery, at delivery and during the neonatal period.
6. Jamaica’s MMR was 97 per 100,000 live births in 1990. The MDG goal was 25 per 100,000 live births by 2015. The actual ratio as at 2015 was 89 per 100,000 live births. The percentage change in the MMR over the past 25-year period (1990-2015) was
-12.7% showing a worsening of the situation.
7. Between 2010 and 2015, the adolescent (15-19 yrs) birth rate in Jamaica was 45 per 1,000 women representing the 2nd highest within the Caribbean behind the Dominican Republic. Within the same period, women under 20 yrs accounted for 15% of total fertility in Jamaica.
8. Maternal, Neonatal and Infant deaths are caused by factors that are largely preventable. Poverty and discrimination are just two issues at the root of many maternal, neonatal and infant deaths globally and certainly in Jamaica. Addressing adolescent reproductive and health needs, the equity gap, the quality gap, the data gap, and the knowledge gap would go a far way in reducing maternal and child mortality in Jamaica.
9. Jamaica’s targets for Maternal and Child Mortality, according to the Vision 2030 document, are:
a) Target 3.1 – “By 2030 reduce the maternal mortality rate to less than 70 per 100,000 live births.
b) Target 3.2 – By 2030 end preventable newborn, infant and under -5 deaths”.
10. Goal 3 of Jamaica’s Vision 2030, Target 3.7, says: “By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.”
Source: Women’s Resource Outreach Centre (WROC)