JAIPUR: It may be a target of a very tall order in a country where every five minutes one woman dies due to pregnancy and maternity-related problems but the Government of India is aiming at 100 per cent safe delivery by 2010.

The recently launched scheme, Janani Suraksha Yogna, provides a package of obstetric care services to expectant mothers throughout their pregnancy so that all possible complications, those including antenatal care, childbirth and immediate postpartum period, are taken care of.

"India has a very high mortality rate. Over 1.1 lakh maternal deaths occur in India annually and this is highest in the world," said I. P. Kaur, Deputy Commissioner of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. She was delivering the inaugural address at the two-day workshop on "Consultation and Experience Sharing on Safe Motherhood" held at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, during the weekend. "The country's average is 407 maternal deaths per one lakh live births, but Rajasthan's figures are even higher at 670 maternal deaths. This figure is the second highest in the country," said Dr. Kaur. The only consolation was that the rate had come down during the past 35 years — from 857 deaths per one lakh in 1972. The Government was now actively engaged in addressing the problem, Dr. Kaur said. "We want 100 per cent safe delivery by 2010," she said.

BITS Vice-Chancellor L.K. Maheshwari said that the safe motherhood ensured emotional and mental health as well, apart from the physical well-being. Improvement in the economic conditions of women was needed to ensure safe motherhood, he said. Women of Rajasthan probably needed more help than the women of other States.

BITS initiatives

The technological empowerment initiatives launched by the Centre for Women's Studies at BITS, Pilani, included such economic empowerment through IT training and language skills courses to rural women, Prof. Maheshwari said.

Delivering the keynote address, Ranjana Kumari, Director, Centre for Social Research, Delhi, called for a change in the mindset of society towards women and their safety.

Stating that every maternal death was preventable, she attributed the casualties to infection and lack of access to health and transport.

Tara Bhandari, chairperson, Rajasthan State Commission for Women; Barbara Wejnert, chairperson, Department of Women and Global Studies, State University of New York; and Satish Kumar, State Representative, UNICEF, Rajasthan, also spoke.

Introducing the theme of the workshop, Nirupama Prakash, Coordinator of the Centre for Women's Studies, said that the workshop dealt with issues concerning maternal health and fostering policy, initiatives at various levels.

The workshop was attended by 70 participants from India and representatives from Israel, U.S. and Sri Lanka.

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