According to UNICEF’s latest report, North Macedonia is among the top three countries globally with the greatest percentage decline in the still births rate between 2000 and 2019, the Health Ministry said in a press release Friday.
Data analysis included in the report shows that the stillbirth rate in North Macedonia declined from 10.8 still births per 1,000 total births in 2000 to 6.2 in 2009 and 4.1 in 2019.
“This significant progress is a result of constant cooperation between the Health Ministry, the University Clinic for Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, UNICEF, UNFPA and the World Health Organization, to strengthen the capacities of health workers in effective perinatal care. According to UNICEF’s report, North Macedonia is the best performer in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand,” the press release read.
In the past years, the country has implemented concrete measures to improve conditions at hospital maternity units throughout the country and invested in improving transportation systems to ensure access and rapid transfer to neonatal intensive care units in case of complication.
Moreover, a Perinatal Care Masterplan by 2030 has been developed, which includes plans to further strengthen the health care system and provide best services for pregnant women and newborns.
The Health Ministry stressed that multiple investments have been directed to improve capacities of neonatal intensive care units in hospitals throughout the country with new equipment, such as infant incubators, etc.
“The Committee for Safe Motherhood, made up of top experts in the fields of gynaecology, obstetrics, neonatology, pediatrics, etc, has contributed to promotion of perinatal care through coordinated approach to improve the health of mothers and babies,” the press release read.
