HUBBALLI: Pumped up by the reduction in maternal mortality rate (MMR), the Karnataka Institute of Medical Science (KIMS) will create awareness on antenatal care among pregnant women in the district, particularly in rural areas, on a pilot basis.
Experts of obstetrics and gynaecology (OBG) department in KIMS are working on this. According to a data sourced from KIMS, 49 maternal deaths out of 10,644 deliveries were reported in 2015, which was lower compared to 68 deaths out of 10,125 deliveries in the previous year. The MMR stood at 460.35 per lakh births in 2015, which was 799 in 2012.
OBG HoD Ramalingappa said told Express: “The MMR has come down drastically. In an effort to minimise the rate further, steps have been taken to create awareness among women on antenatal care. The team of doctors will visit the periphery villages and hold health check-up camps for women, especially pregnant ones.”
On an average, more than 30 deliveries take place daily in KIMS, of which around 10-15 cases are critical. Last year, over 500 critical pregnant cases were treated in KIMS, of which the doctors could not save the lives of 49 to-be mothers, he said.
The main reason for maternal deaths is lack of knowledge and delayed reference to super specialty hospitals.
Reacting to the high mortality rate in KIMS compared to other government medical colleges and hospitals, he claimed that most of the pregnant cases referred to KIMS were critical in nature.
Pregnant women from 11 districts are referred to KIMS, which is the only super specialty hospital in North Karnataka. It admits patients immediately as it has the most simplified admission process, Dr Ramalingappa said.
The doctors say the ways to reduce the MMR is to create awareness on antenatal care, improve facilities at the primary health centres, taluk and district hospitals. The Health and Family Welfare Department has to take steps to improve the services, which will automatically reduce the burden on KIMS. “Many normal deliveries which can be attended by the district hospital or PHCs, are also referred to KIMS. We are critical care specialists. If we attend normal deliveries also, it will affect our work,” said a senior doctor.
“If the patients are referred to KIMS at an early stage, we have the best facilities for them. We have handled most critical cases successfully,” he added.