Considering the high Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Deputy Commissioner of Dharwad Nitesh Patil has asked the health officials and medical practitioners in the district to take remedial measures to bring down both MMR and IMR.
Chairing a review meeting on Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) programme in Dharwad on Thursday, Mr. Nitesh Patil asked the health officials and medical practitioners to ensure that there is no loss of lives in the district due to medical negligence.
Last week, during a review meeting in Dharwad, Medical Education Minister K. Sudhakar had raised concern over the high MMR and IMR in the district.
Mr. Patil said that pregnant women who required emergency healthcare should be immediately shifted to super-speciality hospitals and utmost medical care should be provided.
As per data, till December 31 last year, 24,549 deliveries took place in the district out of which 57 deaths of mothers and 337 deaths of infants were reported.
The Deputy Commissioner said that the doctors, during routine check-up, should do proper diagnosis and if any pregnant woman was diagnosed as anaemic or with other health issues, they should be referred to super-speciality hospitals. He told them that the district administration would review the steps taken to check MMR and IMR on a monthly basis.
During the meeting, Mr. Patil also asked the officials to submit a report on hospitals where over 30 % Caesarean sections take place. Director of Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and Hospital Ramalingappa Antaratani said that the doctors had a bigger role to play in bringing down IMR and MMR. He said that in complicated cases both mother and infant could be saved through balloon delivery procedure and other medical procedures and urged the doctors to get themselves updated on a regular basis.
Pulse Polio drive
The Deputy Commissioner said that 900 centres would be set up for immunisation during the polio vaccination drive to be held in the district from January 31 till February 4. A total of 2.11 lakh children below the age of five have been identified for polio immunisation and health staff will be visiting households from February 1 to 3, he said.
Health officials and medical practitioners were present.
