The eleven early neo-natal deaths within 48 hours at the government hospital here have turned the focus on women’s reproductive health.
The women are mostly young, underweight and malnourished. Of the eleven mothers, one was just 19 years. Two others, 22 and 23, were into their third and fourth pregnancies respectively. Two others in their mid-20s suffered hypertension, forcing doctors to terminate the pregnancy. Most of them were severely anaemic, too.
Dr. Kumudha of the Institute of Child Health, said the women barely weighed 45 kg post-childbirth in most cases. “Ideally, the woman is supposed to have gained at least 10 kg during pregnancy.”
“There are several taboos at the field level,” says Dr. Srinivasan, State nodal officer, Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit. “Most women do not take folic acid and iron tablets given at primary health centres, and it becomes difficult for the village health nurses to monitor them.”
Each village health nurse, monitoring a population of 5,000, is also expected to supervise maternal health.
“A village health nurse dedicated to maternal health will help,” says a senior health official.
Further, the Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy Maternity Benefit Scheme, which provides Rs. 12,000 in assistance to pregnant women, offers compensation for wage loss during pregnancy and nutritional support to prevent low weight babies. However, there are claims that the first instalment of Rs.4,000 is given only during the eighth or ninth month, the second after delivery at a government hospital, and the third post-vaccination.
“What is the point of assistance for nutritional support at the fag end of pregnancy? Instead, the first instalment should be given in the first trimester when the mother-foetus requires that kind of nutritional support,” says a health official.
And, many like Kala (name changed) of Nekkundhi in Nallampalli union, who gave birth a fortnight ago, is yet to get the first two instalments. Anjamma says her daughter got the benefit two months after the delivery.
