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Concern over high maternal mortality rate

Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ajay Vishnoi on Sunday admitted that the situation on the "safe motherhood" front was far from satisfactory in the State and expressed serious concern over the fact that Madhya Pradesh has a maternal mortality rate of 498 per lakh against a national average of 407.

Mr. Vishnoi was answering queries during a phone-in programme relayed live by all the 14 All-India Radio (AIR) stations of Madhya Pradesh on Sunday afternoon.

This special people-Minister interface had been arranged to discuss various issues linked with "safe motherhood and women's health".

Many callers, who joined the discussion from far off villages in districts like Rewa, Tikamgarh, Sagar and Hoshangabad, brought to Mr. Vishnoi's notice the appalling state of affairs when it came to the functioning of the health delivery system at the primary health centre level.

The common grievance was that the doctors and nurses were mostly absent from duty. This was in sharp contrast with the State Health Minister's assertion that across the State there were 500 properly equipped hospitals, each having two doctors and 2 nurses, to attend to delivery cases.

Mr. Vishnoi said for safe motherhood, the State Government has launched special schemes for SC/ST women and those below poverty line.

Under a special State Government programme, vehicle hiring charges for rushing SC/ST and BPL women to hospital for delivery was now being reimbursed by the Govt.

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