Maternal health status:

Sri Lanka top in S-E Asia

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Sri Lanka recorded the best maternal health status in South East Asia by recording the lowest percentage of maternal mortality rate in the region which is only 33.5 deaths per 100,000 live births, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

According to the spokesman, the percentage of mothers who receive antenatal care in Sri Lanka is 100 percent. Around 98.3 percent births in the country take place with the assistance of well trained doctors, nurses and midwives. The percentage of births in hospitals is 96. Out of this, 94 percent of births take place in State hospitals and only two percent of births take place in private hospitals.

The percentage of mothers who receive post-natal care and domiciliary care has gone up to 75 percent. These percentages are the highest in the South East Asian region. Sri Lanka reached this top position due to the high quality free health service. The Government always give priority to the free health service. Sri Lanka's infant mortality rate as only 10 per every 1,000 live births which is very low, he said.