Johannesburg - The Institute of Race Relations (IRR) on Thursday said South Africans had reason to celebrate because the still birth rate was falling sharply - an indication that mother and child health was improving.
Released by the IRR, the South Africa Survey 2016 showed that the still birth rate fell from 27 out of every 1 000 births in 2001 to 21 out of every 1 000 births in 2014, or by 22%.
In terms of provincial rates, the Eastern Cape still birth rate fell by 39%, the Free State by 29% and Gauteng by 31%. The rest of country also showed remarkable improvement, including KwaZulu-Natal, which experienced a drop in the still birth rate of 22%, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape, both by 19%, North West 10% and the Northern Cape 23%. Limpopo remained unchanged.
The still birth rate measures the number of babies born dead out of every 1,000 births. It is seen as a good measure of the living standards and the quality of healthcare services in a country.
IRR analyst Tawanda Makombo said: “The figures must be seen as a success story for the beleaguered and much criticised healthcare sector. A key reason for the improvement can probably be found in better HIV/Aids policies.”
Other reasons would include rising standards and improved nutrition.
He also noted that care available to pregnant women in the public sector had improved. Makombo also warned that despite a fall in the birth rate, South Africa's still birth rate numbers remained high when compared to developed countries and other emerging markets, and a lot still had to be done.
“Data shows that in 2015, Australia's rate was three out of every 1 000 and in China, the rate was nine.” The survey has been published by the IRR since 1948.
ANA