The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Project to check mortality rate among women, infants

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 05, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Project to check mortality rate among women, infants

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH, DEC. 4. A Reproductive and Child Health Project-II will soon be implemented in the State to check the alarming mortality rate among women during pregnancy and childbirth and newborn infants, the Commissioner of Family Welfare, C.B.S. Venkataramana, said here on Saturday.

Addressing medical and health officials of the four districts of Rayalaseema and Nellore at a regional workshop here, he advised the officials to conduct district, block and mandal-level workshops to identify the health care needs and prepare district project implementation plans.

The workshops should involve Velugu, anganwadi workers, MPDOs, sarpanches, MPTC members, village secretaries and health activists, he said and suggested that workshops be held in some select villages too. The Velugu, ICDS and health officials should hold district, block and mandal-level meetings and elect core committees, he advised.

Lack of medicines

The Joint Collector, Kanthilal Dande, observed that medicare was incommensurate to the growing population, despite adequate medical officers in the district. There was acute scarcity of medicines, he said and sought adequate supply of oral drops and syrups needed for children and preventive medicines to check incidence of seasonal ailments to the primary health centres (PHCs).

The PHCs should chalk out monthly plans, basing on the living conditions and food habits of the areas concerned, Mr. Dande said. Anganwadi workers were distributing nutritious food to check low-birth weight babies, the Cuddapah DMHO, T. Venugopal, said.

The DMHOs of Kurnool and Chittoor said most deaths of women were occurring due to anaemia. Adolescent girls were being enlightened on health and nutritional aspects.

The Additional Director of Medical and Health, K. Pattabhiramaiah, the Regional Director, Aruna Kumar, and the DFID consultants, Rajiv Sadanand and Siva Kumar, also spoke. Medical and Health and ICDS officials of five districts took part.

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Andhra Pradesh