Population and Vital Statistics : Infant Mortality on the Rise

Mauritius has known a growth in its population for year 2018 but has known a rise when it comes to infant deaths. The Population and Vital Statistics from Statistics Mauritius indeed indicate that the percentage of infant deaths has gone from 12.2% in 2017 to 14.0% in 2018. What explains this rise? News on Sunday speaks to paediatricians to shed light on this issue. 

Despite the fact that our population in Mauritius has increased by 0.03% from 31st December 2017 to 31st December 2018, the proportion of the population aged 0-14 years, as indicated by Statistics Mauritius, has declined from 18.5% as at mid-2017 to 18.0%, one year later. 

While the natural increase of the population was of 2,178, with births, adding 12,965 babies during the year 2018, the Population and Vital Statistics published by Statistics Mauritius this March, underline that the number of infant deaths (deaths to children aged under one year) has increased by 10.4%, from 164 in 2017 to 181 in 2018.

In fact, in addition to the decrease in the number of live births registered going from 12,671 in 2017 to 12,202 in 2018, bringing about a fall in the crude birth rate from 10.4 to 10.0., the Population and Vital Statistics reveal that the infant mortality rate, defined as the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births, has increased from 12.2 in 2017 to 14.0 in 2018. On the other hand, the statistics indicate that the number of still births has decreased by 3.7 %, from 135 in 2017 to 130 in 2018. 

What explains the growing number of infant deaths? According to Pediatrician Dr Taj Ignace Mangar, the number of infant deaths going from 164 in 2017 to 181 in 2018 is not so alarming. “We are a small country with a small population. It would be better, I believe, if we look at the statistics over three or four years’ time. If these indicate that there is still an increase in the number of infant deaths, then I believe this would definitely indicate that something is going wrong,” he utters.

For the paediatrician, there are various reasons which can explain the increase in the number of infant deaths. “To begin with, statistics now take into account children who are born as from 25 weeks while earlier, only children born as from 28 weeks were taken into account. Thus, among these infants are those who were born prematurely and often, these babies could have had some health complications. This is one reason which might explain the rising number of infant deaths.”

Dr Mangar states that it is important to know the death causes of these infants. “Some infants are also born underweight, that is less than 2kg and this might has been caused due to various reasons. Death among infants might also be due to malformations of organs or body parts, physical or mental handicaps and other health issues. Death causes among infants are also due to septicaemia or cerebral haemorrhage or pulmonary haemorrhage.”

What are the preventions that could be taken in order to address the issue? According to Dr Mangar, we need a better performing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Mauritius. “First and foremost we need to have qualified Interventional Cardiologist for infants and paediatric cardiac surgeon. We also need qualified staff that can perform echography on infants. For example, for infants suffering from cardiac complications, we should be able to diagnose problems very rapidly and provide first interventional care as soon as possible in all hospitals. Waiting for a diagnosis and then waiting for more days to send an infant overseas is not appropriate mainly when it comes to health. There should be no delays,” explains Dr Mangar.