MUZAFFARABAD: The maternal and newborn health steering committee for Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), on Friday, approved the inclusion of a life saving drug for newborns, chlorhexidine, in the region’s essential drug list (EDL), besides ensuring its availability in all health facilities.

The maiden meeting of the committee, headed by the parliamentary secretary, Sadaf Shaikh, was held to develop a strategic roadmap for the expansion of skilled birth attendance through community midwives, and an improvement in the advocacy for chlorhexidine.

The initiative is being funded by the Research and Advocacy Fund (RAF), while Mercy Corp is implementing it.

The meeting was told that, in Pakistan, under-five mortality rate was 89 per 1,000 live births, and more than 60 per cent of all deaths under-five occurred during the neonatal period.

The studies conducted globally and especially in the South Asian region, showed that 4 per cent chlorhexidine was effective in reducing the neonatal mortality, in places where it was an issue, apart from poor hygiene.

The meeting learnt that a study conducted in the rural Pakistan had provided evidence that the application of this drug was effective in reducing the risk of inflammation of the umbilical cord stump in the neonatal period, which is most commonly attributed to a bacterial infection.

On the basis of the available evidence, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had recommended the use of chlorhexidine for cord care in newborn care programmes, in September 2012.

In Pakistan, the dry cord care was included in the newborn care guidelines, such as the community midwives (CMW) training manual. However, the chlorhexidine for cord care was not being manufactured locally, in the required concentration, and was not included in the EDL, nor was it available in the local market.

Shoaib Ahmed Shehzad, of Mercy Corp, said that the use of chlorhexidine could reduce the ratio of neonatal deaths by 24 per cent, as was observed in Nepal.

The AJK health department director general, Dr Abdul Qudus Akhtar, said that a meeting would soon be held with the pharmaceutical companies, to persuade them to manufacture and provide chlorhexidine, as per specifications, for AJK.

The forum also endorsed policy recommendations, including the revision of training curriculum of lady health workers.