| Goalpara | ||
May 21 : A government-funded pack of towels and nappies, the Goalpara administration is hoping, will help persuade new mothers to stay on in hospital for at least 24 hours after delivery — a necessity if the infant morality rate is to be brought down. In impoverished areas where awareness is low, newborns and their mothers often die of infection and lack of care, contributing to an astounding child mortality and post-delivery death rate, which the government has been trying to desperately curb. The simple gift pack, costing Rs 180 each, is part of a scheme being implemented through the District Health Society of which the deputy commissioner is the chairman and is supported by the National Rural Health Mission funds. Goalpara deputy commissioner Anurag Goel recently launched the scheme in Lakhipur and Rangjuli primary health centres — two blocks which have the highest infant and maternal mortality rates. “The first 24 hours are crucial. The newborn could get an infection and the mother could suffer from bleeding. At hospitals, they will be under expert supervision, which will help reduce the infant mortality rate. Our reports suggest that women of these areas leave the hospital within 24 hours of delivery. This stay is a must for the safety of both the child and mother and the gifts are one way of keeping the mothers in hospital,” Goel said. Another important reason to ensure the stay at the hospital is to teach new mothers how to tend to the baby. “Besides ensuring the safety of the mother and child, a woman can also learn how and what to feed the baby, clean the infant and look after its health. In areas where there is poverty and illiteracy, these small things make a lot of difference,” a source in the National Rural Health Mission said. Nine women in tribal-dominated Rangjuli and three in minority-dominated Lakhipur have already received the gifts. The scheme, however, is restricted only to those with two children and who opt for institutional delivery. Though the exact mortality rates in the district are not available, Assam has a maternal mortality rate of 490 per lakh and an infant mortality rate of 66 per thousand. A source in the National Rural Health Mission said this new plan had been put on hold because of the parliamentary elections. “The concept paper was submitted to Dispur in January. The health department is very supportive and if everything goes well, it will be replicated in all the 27 districts of the state,” the source said. |
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