In a week’s time, 30 nurses trained in midwifery would be posted in 12 government healthcare facilities that have recorded high number of deliveries. The move is expected to bring down C-Section deliveries and maternal mortality.
According to the Sample Registration System’s special bulletin on ‘Maternal Mortality in India 2014-16’, the MMR across India was 130 per 1,00,000 live births. It is 81 per 1,00,000 live births in Telangana, the fifth lowest State. The lowest MMR of 46 was recorded in Kerala, followed by 61 in Maharashtra.
Diploma course
On the occasion of International Day of the Midwife observed on Sunday (May 5), 30 nurses who completed 18-month Midwifery Nurse Practitioner Diploma Course in April, were presented with certificates by Health Minister Eatala Rajender at a ceremony held here. The course was funded by the Central government through the National Health Mission (NHM), and implemented by the Government of Telangana in collaboration with Fernandez Hospitals and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
Officials from the Health Department said their focus was on respectful maternity. Apart from recognising emergencies before or during delivery, they said the midwives have been trained to treat pregnant women with respect, ensure their privacy during diagnostic tests and delivery, and they would allow pregnant women to choose their birth positions.
It is claimed that Telangana is the first State to have certified midwives.
After conducting the tests and interviews, 30 nurses were selected for the course, which began in November 2018, when Vakati Karuna was the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Department.
For one year, classroom-based training was imparted to them in Karimnagar, followed by six-month internship in Sanagreddy. “The midwives are trained in recognise the signs of an emergency and handle it. When it’s an acute emergency, she will deal with it, stabilise the mother, and refer her to a health centre in time thus avoiding maternal mortality,” said Evita Fernandez, the chairperson of Fernandez Hospitals, on the sidelines of the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, Yogita Rana, the Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare Department, said 60 more nurses would undergo training in future.
According to World Health Organisation’s ‘Global Strategic Directions for Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery 2016-2020’, “There is demonstrable evidence substantiating the contribution of the nursing and midwifery workforce to health improvements, such as increased patient satisfaction, decrease in patient morbidity and mortality, stabilisation of financial systems through decreased hospital readmissions, length of stay, and other hospital-related conditions, including hospital-acquired infections, which consequently contribute to patient well-being”.
The WHO’s fact sheet on nursing and midwifery states that for all the countries to reach ‘Sustainable Development Goal 3’ on health and well-being, an additional 9 million nurses and midwives are needed by 2030.
