Neonatal death in Barak under lens, govt vows corrective measures | Guwahati News

Guwahati: Health minister Ashok Singhal on Monday said Assam was taking neonatal deaths in Barak Valley seriously.Singhal was responding during Zero Hour in the assembly to BJP’s Hailakandi MLA Milon Das, who cited a July 7 Times of India report on 148 neonatal deaths in three months in the Barak Valley. The valley comprises Hailakandi, Sribhumi and Cachar districts.The minister said, “The matter is very important. A total of 601 out of 4,690 neonatal deaths in the state were reported only in Hailakandi district in 2024-25, while 459 out of 3,983 neonatal deaths were reported in the district in 2025-26.”“We have been keeping an eye on it. Senior doctors from Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, the commissioner and secretary of the health department and the managing director of National Health Mission visited the district. We took various steps to reduce the neonatal death tally,” he added.Singhal said the govt reduced neonatal deaths in several districts. He also said the maternal mortality rate in Hailakandi declined from 44 in 2016 to 29, while the state figure fell from 237 to 84.He said the main causes of neonatal deaths were preterm delivery, birth asphyxia and septicaemia.“We have been working on it. New equipment has been brought to monitor pregnant women,” he added.Singhal said he would visit Hailakandi after the budget session to assess the situation and assured the House that all steps would be taken to check these deaths.