By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
Sri Lanka is facing a increase in low birth weight babies and infant mortality, with an estimated 2,500 infants dying annually before their first birthday, according to Dr Kapila Jayaratne, President of the Sri Lanka College of Community Physicians.
Speaking at a media briefing yesterday (30) at the Sri Lanka Medical Association Headquarters, Dr Jayaratne revealed that approximately 313,000 women in the country became pregnant annually. However, around 26,000 pregnancies were lost during the early months, particularly between three to four months of gestation.
Dr. Jayaratne attributed this concerning trend to a mix of factors, including economic hardships, insufficient awareness among expectant mothers, environmental and social influences, and a decline in the quality of healthcare services. Dr Jayaratne called for urgent policy changes and improvements in healthcare delivery to address these issues and reduce infant mortality.
Public health experts, Dr Uthpala Amarasinghe and Dr Vindhya Kumarapeli, also contributed to the discussion, stressing the importance of enhanced maternal care and awareness programmes. They urged the government to prioritise targeted public health measures to mitigate risks and improve outcomes for both mothers and infants.
The experts warned that without sustained efforts to tackle those challenges, the country could face long-term consequences affecting the health, well-being, and development of its population.
