Imphal, January 10 2009: If your new born child is to be protected from any possible infection, don't bathe the baby soon after it was born but allow to be breast-fed by the mother.

This is the advice that president of Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP), Manipur State Branch Dr H Ibemhal Devi has given to all the mothers.

Interacting with The Sangai Express on the occasion of the 12th Manipur Paediatrics' Conference held at the mini auditorium of RIMS here today, Dr Ibemhal disclosed that normally in Manipur when a child is not delivered at home with the help of a Maibi instead of in health institutions, the new born baby is given bath soon after it was born and allow to be suckled by another lactating mother.

Such practices may expose the child to various infections in life.

The annual conference of the Paediatricians, titled XII MANIPEDICON was held under the theme of 'Community Newborn Care: A Priority'.

In connection with the theme, Dr Ibemhal explained that soon after a child was born, it should be wiped clean with the help of a dry cloth and then allow it to lie in close skin-contact with the mother so as the maintained the body temperature of the newly born child.

Only a trained personnel should be allowed to assist in the delivery and in case of premature birth at home, the child should be immediately taken to a hospital.

According to report, out of 26 million children born in India every year, around 1.2 million died within first month of birth and in Manipur out of every 1000 children born, 30 of them died before completing one year.

The main reason for this child mortality has been attributed to low rate of admission for child deliver cases in the health institutions and lack of knowledge on care for new born babies at the community level.

The situation is all the more alarming in case of Manipur where only 46 percent of child delivery cases in health institutions including regional hospitals, State hospitals, district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres and primary health sub-centres have been recorded in accordance to National Family Health Survey-III.

Dr Ibemhal further disclosed that the mortality rate of new born babies from Hypothermia, Hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinaemia, infection, etc in rural areas of Manipur is very high due to delivery of the child by untrained personnel.

It is to spread the knowledge among th community on the necessary health care measures to be taken up during child delivery that this year's conference as chosen the theme of 'Community Newborn Care: A Priority', she added.

The inaugural function of the conference had been attended by Director of Health Services Dr W Motilal Singh as chief guest, Dr Ibemhal as president and Director of Family Welfare Dr Sh Raghumani Sharma and president of IAP East Zone Dr Th Nabachandra as guests of honour.

Apart from talks delivered by many resource persons, a souvenir and a newsletter have been released at the occasion.

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