HYDERABAD: The Telangana government’s measures to improve mother and child care are bearing fruit. According to the Sample Registration System (SRS) Bulletin 2018-20 which was released recently, the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in the State has come down to 43% from 56% in 2017-19. With this, Telangana once again stands third in the country with the lowest number of maternal deaths after Kerala and Maharashtra.
Announcing the results of the SRS on Tuesday, Health Minister T Harish Rao said that the schemes implemented in the State, including KCR Kits and Amma Vodi vehicles, have played an important role in reducing maternal mortality.
The State recorded an MMR of 92% at the time of the formation of Telangana. Since then it has been gradually decreasing by almost 49 points till now. The national average is 97%, which is twice the State ratio. Speaking on the success of the State, Harish said that various schemes launched by the State government have brought a revolutionary change. The KCR Kits Scheme has given the government the flexibility to monitor the health of pregnant women from time to time. Monthly check-ups and provision of free Amma Odi Vahana services provided quality services to pregnant women at all stages.
The government has also focused on preventable maternal deaths. Four Antenatal Care (ANC) check-ups are mandatory for every pregnant woman. While the first two check-ups are done at the Primary Health Care Centre, the third and fourth check-ups are done in government hospitals by gynaecologists, paediatricians and anaesthetists.
Supplementary tablets are provided free of charge to those suffering from anaemia. ASHA workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwifery (ANMs) are providing iron capsules to every pregnant woman along with educating them about its use. Telangana is unique in being the only State which provides iron tablets in capsule form to every pregnant woman without incurring any cost.
ASHA and ANMs have been given special training to identify high-risk pregnant women early and provide them with the necessary support. The midwifery system has been started by the government to promote normal births. Trained selected nurses are made available in various government hospitals.
“The top three States with the highest maternal mortality are ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party. According to the latest report, MMR has been recorded as 195 in Assam, 173 in Madhya Pradesh and 167 in Uttar Pradesh,” Harish said.
“From 2017-19 to 2018-20 MMR steadily increased in BJP-led states. In Madhya Pradesh it has increased by 10 per cent, in Haryana by 14 per cent, while Uttar Pradesh has not recorded any progress in reducing MMR,” the health minister added.