Bengaluru: The govt has ordered implementation of a state-wide Still Birth Surveillance and Response (SBSR) system and formation of a stillbirth audit committee to reduce the stillbirth rate in Karnataka.According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) report 2023, eight in every 1,000 babies are still born in Karnataka, which is higher than the national average of seven stillbirths in 1,000 births. On average, 8,000 stillbirths are reported in the state every year, according to the health department.The stillbirth rate was higher in urban areas than in rural areas in 2024, with Haveri, Gadag and Dharwad districts reporting an increase in cases.The objective of SBSR is to identify and report stillbirth cases, determine their causes and take preventative measures to reduce the number of stillbirths. Hospital-level nodal officers are required to audit each case and report the same to district and state-level nodal officers. The maternal death and surveillance response (MDSR) committee will investigate stillbirth cases in the district, offer guidance and hold discussions aimed at reducing stillbirths.A state-level audit committee will be formed, headed by the director of the health department, with the deputy director (mother health) as the nodal officer. The committee will include the medical superintendent of Vani Vilas Hospital and senior gynaecologists and paediatricians from both public and private sectors.The committee will conduct audits in districts with higher stillbirth rates and review specific cases to identify gaps in healthcare delivery and recommend corrective measures. It is required to submit a report every three months to a high-level committee headed by the chief secretary.
