VIJAYAWADA: District Collector J Nivas has warned health officials and staff of stern action if patients lose their life because of their negligence. He participated in a review meeting held on Tuesday with officials to discuss steps to control mother and child mortality rate in the district. They also discussed ways to improve the medical services being provided.
Expressing concern over the number of maternal and infant deaths in Krishna district, Nivas compared the district’s maternal and child mortality rate to that of African countries. He noted that despite the district recording highest per income capita and providing nutritious food through Anganwadi Centers as well as offering medical services to government hospitals at the corporate-level, Krishna has reported 55 maternal and child deaths due to malnutrition and anaemia this year. He suggested that tough measures should be taken to prevent such a situation in the district.
Urging ANMs under Anganwadi limits to identify and monitor pregnant women in their area from time to time, Nivas directed them to take pregnant women to the nearest government hospital immediately, if they show any signs of illness.
“Medical tests should be conducted regularly and it should be ensured that none of them suffer with problems like malnutrition and anaemia. Infants should get vaccinated from time to time as per the immunization chart,” Nivas added. The Collector informed that all the community health centres (CHCs) in the district are being developed as blood banks. Out of the 13 CHCs, so far, seven have been developed as blood banks.
He added that due to minor hurdles, blood storage points at Challapalli, Vissannapeta, Mylavaram, Uyyuru, Gannavaram and other CHCs are yet to start providing services. Nivas further directed officials to take steps to convert the remaining CHCs as blood banks within a month. Joint Collector L Siva Shankar, District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) M Sushasini and other officials were also present.
JC warns scanning centres for conducting sex determination tests
Guntur: Joint Collector Raja Kumari has warned of stern action against scanning centres that conduct prenatal gender confirmations. A district level multi-member appropriate committee meeting on PC-PNDT Act (The Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques) was held. DMHO Dr Yasmin directed all the scanning centres to display their registration certificates at the entrance without fail. The Joint Collector suggested that workshops be held for owners of scanning centres to explain to them the rules. She instructed officials to inspect every scanning centre once a year without fail.