The number of C-section (Caesarean section) operations in the State is on the rise and increase is more than the national average, Minister for Health V.S. Sivakumar told the Assembly on Wednesday.
In a written reply, the Health Minister said of the 11,103 deliveries that took place in government hospitals in January this year, 4,406 were C-sections or 39.68 per cent.
In Kollam and Ernakulam districts, the C-sections during the first month of the year were 60 per cent. Mr. Sivakumar said the national average was just 8.5 per cent.
The highest number of C-sections in Thiruvananthapuram was done at the Fort Hospital. Of the 265 deliveries in January, 107 were C-sections. In the case of taluk hospitals, the highest number was registered at the taluk hospital, Kottarakkara. Of 115 deliveries, 77 were C-sections. The Health Minister told the House that the District Medical Officers (DMOs) had been given instructions not to promote C-sections and to adhere to the prescribed norms. State auditing had been introduced in all government hospitals and the DMOs had been asked to submit monthly report. At the district level, a committee headed by the DMO, the Deputy DMO, Senior Gynaecologists, and Reproductive and Child Health Officer had been set up to review the cases. Awareness drives had been kicked off involving the staff nurses and Asha worker when pregnant women came for check-up, he said. Counselling is also being offered to women. The Health Minister said private hospitals had also been asked to give C-section reports. In private hospitals, gynaecologists will be involved in training.
